Image-forming system with improved workability by displaying image finish and setting items in course of processing

ABSTRACT

An image finish information generation unit included in an image-forming system is configured to generate an expected image finish and an input setting screen to be used for receiving setting inputs from an operator based on image data obtained by reading a document by a scanner or through a network, and to instruct a display unit to display the image finish and the setting screen before print processing. If the operator makes further setting inputs through the input setting screen, another expected image finish screen is generated and displayed, incorporating the setting inputs. Through a spatial item identification unit and a language item identification unit, spatial position information received by a touch panel is identified as a spatial setting item, and voice information through a microphone is recognized by the language item identification as a language setting item. In addition, related setting items are prepared and displayed in a hierarchy.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent document claims priority and contains subject matter relatedto Japanese Patent Applications No. 2004-178883, 2004-247133, and2004-268846, filed with the Japanese Patent Office on Jun. 16, 2004,Aug. 26, 2004, and Sep. 15, 2004, respectively, the entire contents ofwhich are hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to image-forming systems, andmore specifically to an image-forming system with improved workabilityby properly processing image data and displaying image finish andrelated processing items prior to a printout operation and in course ofimage data processing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A variety of image-forming apparatuses have been widely used, such as aduplication apparatus capable of reading document images by a scannerand printing readout images, a printer or facsimile machine capable ofreceiving and printing out transmitted images, and a multi-functionalmachine which combines copy, print, and facsimile functions in onesingle machine. As the machines and process operations become morecomplex, it is increasingly important to properly instruct priority andordering of multiple operations in order to operate efficiently.

In these image-forming apparatuses, the process operations can varywidely depending on various setting conditions, which are related to theoriginal documents, such the type and density of the document, andrelated to image processing, such as image enlargement/reduction,double/single-sided, and space margin.

A user has to select the conditions and instruct the machine to functionproperly and efficiently through necessary setting inputs. It isrequired, therefore, for the user to view a considerably large number ofitems on a display screen, for example, to select from and makenecessary setting inputs accurately.

This problem has been caused at least partly by the fact that conditions(or general information) of the original document are not recognized onmachine's side, and that all conceivable options, therefore, have had tobe listed in menu selection even including those items unnecessary forthe document currently being processed. As a result, the selection menubecomes quite complicated and the operation for menu setting involvestangled procedures, thereby detracting from the user's convenience inmachine operation.

In order to obviate this problem, several image-forming apparatuses havebeen disclosed previously.

For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 8-279884 ('884application) discloses an image-forming apparatus which is configured toperform a pre-scan of reading a document original upon closing adocument presser cover over the document placed onto a document platen;distinguish a document image that has been read out, between color andblack-and-white, and character and picture images; and automaticallyclassify image processing according to the distinction, therebyimproving the image processing capability of the apparatus.

As another example, another image-forming apparatus is disclosed inJapanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2001-285534 ('534application), in which a setting for document reading conditions isperformed with more ease.

Specifically, if the conditions for reading a document are set by auser, the apparatus is configured for the contents of this setting to begrouped together as a set which is subsequently stored to correspond toa designated button for invoking the set of reading conditions. Then,the stored contents can be invoked by touching this button and some ofprevious items included therein are updated automatically. As a result,the setting of document reading conditions can be achieved with moreease in the apparatus.

While several improvements have been made as indicated above, severalproblems still persist, in which it is required for a user to view avast number of items, and identify and accurately input necessary ones.This has detracted from the user's convenience in operating theapparatus.

This problem in performing input setting for print processing has ratherincreased recently, as encountered in advanced image-forming apparatuseswhich are provided with numerous functions from top to bottom infrequency of usage, or in multi-functional apparatuses with some of thenumerous functions in combination.

In the abovementioned image-forming apparatus disclosed in the '884application, the document image is automatically classified andprocessed according to the classification of the document type which isdistinguished based the document image resulting from the pre-scan.However, since the results obtained from the pre-scan are not reflecteddirectly to setting items displayed on a screen, efficiency of settingthe print processing conditions has not improved.

Also, in the image-forming apparatus disclosed in the '534 application,the setting contents are arbitrarily selected and input by a user,grouped together as a set, and stored as a group to correspond to acondition invocation button, as indicated earlier.

Although the stored contents are then invoked by touching the button andsome of the input items can be updated, the steps themselves ofselecting setting contents are still unchanged and efficiency of settingoperation has not much improved.

Therefore, several problems remain yet to be solved in the knownimage-forming apparatuses.

Typically, it is not feasible for a user to watch an image finishexpected from current setting contents prior to print processing afterreading a document original, while the function of recent image-formingapparatuses has become increasingly complex and setting operations havealso become more complicated, or some image finishes are output in a waycontrary to what the user wanted or intended during the input setting.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The general purpose of this invention is therefore to provide animage-forming apparatus and a method therefor, having most, if not all,of the advantages and features of similar existing apparatuses andrelated methods, while eliminating many of the aforementioneddisadvantages of other apparatuses and related methods.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide animage-forming system and method with improved workability by properlyprocessing image data and displaying image finish and related processingitems prior to a printout operation and in course of image dataprocessing.

It is still another object of the invention to provide an improvedimage-forming system and method configured to display an expected imagefinish based on image data, which are obtained by reading a document,and a simplified input setting menu, which contains processing itemsnarrowed-down from complicated initial items to be used for inputtingdesirable items, to thereby be able to improve working efficiency andconvenience for a user in the image-forming operation.

The following description is a synopsis of only selected features andattributes of the present disclosure. A more complete descriptionthereof is found below in the section entitled “Description of thePreferred Embodiments.”

The above and other objects of the present invention are achieved byproviding an image-forming system configured to perform at least a firstoperation to input image data, a second operation to process the imagedata and form a print finish, and a third operation to display anexpected finish as the result of the first and the second operations,comprising a finish information generation unit configured to generateexpected image finish information on completion of the first and thesecond operations; an input setting screen information generation unitconfigured to generate input setting screen information for receiving asetting input by an operator based on the expected image finishinformation generated by the finish information generation unit; adisplay unit configured to display an expected image finish resultingfrom the expected image finish information and an input setting screenresulting from the input setting screen information generated by theinput setting screen information generation unit; and a setting unitconfigured to receive a variety of setting inputs including the settinginput by the operator by way of the input setting screen displayed onthe display unit.

On receiving the variety of setting inputs by the setting unit in theimage-forming system, the finish information generation unit generatesthe expected image finish information based on the variety of settinginputs currently received, the input setting screen informationgeneration unit generates another input setting screen information basedon the expected image finish information generated by the finishinformation generation unit, the display unit displays the expectedimage finish resulting from the expected image finish information andthe input setting screen resulting from the input setting screeninformation generated by the input setting screen information generationunit, and the setting unit receives the variety of setting inputsincluding the setting input by the operator by way of the input settingscreen displayed on the display unit.

If the portion on the input setting screen, resulting from input settingscreen information, is different from that corresponding to initialinput setting screen, resulting from initial setting values, the displayunit is adapted to display the updated portion with emphasis.

The abovementioned capabilities of the image-forming system of thepresent invention are exerted further by a method and a computer programproduct for use with the image-forming system, which will be detailedlater on.

In another aspect of the invention, the image-forming system is furtherprovided with a spatial item identification unit and a language itemidentification unit. The spatial item identification unit is configuredto acquire spatial information on the expected image finish by thecontact of a contacting material, such as at least one of a finger of anoperator and a stylus, and to identify a spatial instruction item as aspatial setting; and the language item identification unit is configuredto receive voice information and identify a language instruction item asa setting mediated by language based on the voice information.

The display unit includes a touch panel for displaying the expectedimage finish, and the spatial item identification unit acquires thespatial information by making a contact onto the touch panel with thecontacting material, and identifies the spatial instruction item.

In addition, the spatial instruction item identification unit identifiesa spatial certainty for the spatial instruction item, the languageinstruction item identification unit identifies a language certainty forthe language instruction item, and the setting unit determines an itemrelevancy as information on a relevancy of the spatial instruction itemand the language instruction item.

Based on the result from a weighting addition of the spatial instructionitem, the language instruction item, and the item relevancy, eachappending weighting factors, the setting unit can set properly thesetting item for image formation.

In still another aspect of the invention, the image-forming system isfurther provided with a location acquisition unit in place of thespatial item identification unit and the language item identificationunit mentioned above.

The location acquisition unit is configured to receive a touch input byan operator onto the display unit displaying the expected image finishinformation and acquire information on the location of the touch input.

Based on the information on the location acquired by the locationacquisition unit, a setting unit configured to acquire processing iteminformation, instruct the display unit to display a processing itemresulting from the processing item information acquired, receive thetouch input onto the processing item displayed by the display, and setup the processing item received.

The location acquisition unit also sets the coordinate on the imagescreen and acquires the information on the location using coordinateinformation determined by making use of the coordinate currently set.

An execution determination unit is further included, which is configuredto determine whether a processing item set by the setting unit isexecutable. If the processing item is determined non-executable, thesetting unit instructs the display unit to display informationindicating that the processing item is non-executable.

Further aspects of the present invention and the manners in which itaddresses the above problems, as well as others, will become morereadily apparent from the following detailed description when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, detailed description, andclaims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following drawings, like reference numerals will be used to referto like elements as between the various figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating an image-formingsystem according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2A is an explanatory view illustrating a display image appearing ona display screen during reading step, showing an initial image finishaccording to the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2B is an explanatory view illustrating a display image appearing ona display screen upon reading a document, showing various itemsassisting an operator in inputting an initial setup;

FIG. 3A is a plan view illustrating a display image on the displayscreen notifying the receipt of the initial setup input by the operatorby way of the display screen of FIG. 2B;

FIG. 3B is a plan view illustrating a display image showing an imagefinish which is expected to be formed as instructed by setup currentlyinput by way of the display screen of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an image-forming operation of theimage-forming system according to the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a drawing of an expected image finish screen illustrating theportions in the screen, which are different from those in an initialexpected image finish screen, are displayed with emphasis;

FIG. 6A is a drawing illustrating an expected print image finish inthree dimensions;

FIG. 6B is a drawing illustrating an expected print image finish inthree dimensions in an animated fashion;

FIG. 6C is a drawing illustrating another expected print image finish inthree dimensions in an animated fashion;

FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram illustrating an image-formingsystem according to a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8A is an explanatory view illustrating a display image of anexpected image finish which is formed from the data of a document readout by the image-forming system according to the second embodiment ofthe invention;

FIG. 8B is another explanatory view illustrating a display image of anexpected image finish according to the second embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 9 is a drawing illustrating an expected image finish screenindicating the portions in the screen, which are altered and differentfrom those in an initial expected image finish screen caused by usersetting, are displayed with emphasis;

FIG. 10A is a view illustrating a screen image for setting various itemsfor generating the expected image finish screen of FIG. 9;

FIG. 10B is a view illustrating another screen image for settingadditional items;

FIG. 10C is a view illustrating a display image of an updated expectedimage finish which is formed after incorporating renewed user settinginputs;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow for forming an imageby the image-forming system according to the second embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 12 is a functional block diagram illustrating an image-formingsystem according to still a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 13 is a functional block diagram illustrating an image-formingsystem 70 according to a fourth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 14 is a block diagram diagrammatically illustrating a hardwareconfiguration of the image-forming system of the invention;

FIG. 15 is a functional block diagram illustrating an image-formingsystem according to a fifth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 16 is a plan view of an expected image finish showndiagrammatically illustrating the steps for setting image processingitems by contact operation or utterance onto a touch panel by a useraccording to the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 17 is another plan view of the expected image finish in which imageprocessing items are set by contact operation or utterance onto a touchpanel by the user to receive further setting inputs by way of thescreen;

FIG. 18 is still another plan view of the expected image finish in whichimage processing items are set by contact operation or utterance onto atouch panel by the user to receive further an input for setting adouble-sided print;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view illustrating an expected print imagefinish after the setting for forming a double-sided copy;

FIG. 20 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow for forming an imageby the image-forming system according to the fifth embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 21 is a functional block diagram primarily illustrating an imageprocessing section as a major portion of the image-forming systemaccording to a sixth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 22 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow for forming an imageby the image-forming system according to the sixth embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 23 is a functional block diagram illustrating the image processingsection as a major portion of the image-forming system as a modificationto the sixth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 24 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow for forming an imageby the image-forming system according to the modification to the sixthembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 25 is a functional block diagram primarily illustrating an imageprocessing section as a major portion of the image-forming systemaccording to a seventh embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 26 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow for forming an imageby the image-forming system according to the seventh embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 27 is a functional block diagram primarily illustrating an imageprocessing section as a major portion of the image-forming systemaccording to an eighth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 28 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow for forming an imageby the image-forming system according to the eighth embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 29 is a functional block diagram illustrating the image processingsection in the image-forming system as a modification to the eighthembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 30 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow for forming an imageby the image-forming system according to the ninth embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 31 is a functional block diagram illustrating an image-formingsystem according to the ninth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 32 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow for forming an imageby the image-forming system according to the ninth embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 33 is a functional block diagram illustrating an image-formingsystem, incorporating the image processing apparatus;

FIG. 34 is a functional block diagram illustrating an image processingsystem according to an eleventh embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 35 is a functional block diagram illustrating an image-formingsystem according to a twelfth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 36 is a plan view diagrammatically illustrating an expected imagefinish generated from image data input in the image-forming systemaccording to the twelfth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 37A is a functional block diagram illustrating a setting itemstorage unit included in the image processing section;

FIG. 37B includes a table illustrating the correspondence table 135 a,in which the correspondence is shown between the coordinate values andsetting items;

FIG. 38 is a plan view illustrating a display image of the candidatesfor the processing items acquired by the contact onto the touch panel 15b;

FIG. 39A is a plan view illustrating an expected image finish indicativea staple provided at the upper left of the printed material;

FIG. 39B is a plan view illustrating another expected image finishindicating an image of the state of a printed material which is providedat the upper left with stapling;

FIG. 40 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow for forming an imageby the image-forming system according to the twelfth embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 41 is a plan view illustrating an expected image finish displayedby the image-forming system according to the modification to the twelfthembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 42 is a plan view illustrating a display image of the candidatesfor processing items according to the modification to the twelfthembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 43 is a plan view illustrating a display image of the candidatesfor selecting a processing item related to the punched holes;

FIG. 44 is a plan view illustrating another expected image finishdisplayed by the image-forming system;

FIG. 45 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow for forming an imageby the image-forming system according to the modification to the twelfthembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 46 is a functional block diagram primarily illustrating an imageprocessing section 23 as a major portion of the image-forming systemaccording to a thirteenth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 47 is a plan view illustrating a display image of processing itemsincluding a shaded portion indicative of the staple processing;

FIG. 48 is a plan view illustrating another display image showing thereason for the staple processing being non-executable;

FIG. 49 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow for forming an imageby the image-forming system according to the thirteenth embodiment ofthe invention;

FIG. 50 is a plan view illustrating a display image of the candidatesfor processing items according to the modification to the thirteenthembodiment of the invention, in which only executable processing itemsare included in the display image, exclusive of non-executableprocessing item;

FIG. 51 is a functional block diagram illustrating an image-formingsystem according to a fourteenth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 52 is a plan view illustrating an expected image finish displayedbased on the result obtained by the image analysis section, in which thedocument original is found as printed in the collective manner;

FIG. 53 is a plan view illustrating a display image of processing itemsfor the collective document;

FIG. 54 is a plan view illustrating another display image of processingitems, indicative of saddle stitch processing;

FIG. 55 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow for forming an imageby the image-forming system according to the fourteenth embodiment ofthe invention;

FIG. 56 is a functional block diagram illustrating an image-formingsystem according to a fifteenth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 57 is a functional block diagram illustrating a setting itemstorage unit in the image processing section of the image-formingsystem;

FIG. 58 illustrates a statement in the display table indicating thecollective 2-in-1 setting already stored;

FIG. 59 is a plan view illustrating an expected image finish displayedaccording to the statement in the display table;

FIG. 60 is a plan view illustrating a display image of processing itemsrelated to the portion on the display contacted by the user;

FIG. 61 is a plan view illustrating an expected image finish which isdisplayed after the selection of staple processing is made among theprocessing items of FIG. 60, in which a staple sign is additionallydisplayed at the location of contact by the user;

FIG. 62 illustrates the statement written into the display table afterthe selection of staple processing is made in FIGS. 60 and 61, in whichthe information “STAPLE AT THE UPPER LEFT” is written as a processingitem;

FIG. 63 is a plan view illustrating a menu screen which is displayedafter contacting the staple sign by the user again, in which the stapleprocessing is already set and related processing items are displayedbased on the premise of the processing item mentioned just above;

FIG. 64 is a plan view illustrating still another expected image finishwhich is displayed after canceling the staple processing, as describedabove;

FIG. 65 illustrates statements stored in the display table aftercanceling the staple processing in FIG. 63, in which setting informationrelated to the staple processing has been removed from the display tableand there remains only that related to the initial collective 2-in-1setting;

FIG. 66 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow for forming an imageby the image-forming system according to the fifteenth embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 67 is a functional block diagram illustrating an image-formingsystem, incorporating the image processing apparatus according to asixteenth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 68 is a functional block diagram illustrating an image-formingsystem according to the seventeenth embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 69 is a block diagram diagrammatically illustrating a hardwareconfiguration of the image-forming system of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the detailed description which follows, specific examples aredescribed regarding image-forming systems and methods for properlyprocessing image data and displaying the image data and relatedprocessing items prior to a printout operation and in course of dataprocessing.

It is understood, however, these examples are intended to beillustrative, but not limiting. For example, it is appreciated that thesystems and methods described herein may also be adaptable to any formof image data processing. Other embodiments will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art upon reading the following description.

As briefly described earlier in the summary section, the image-formingsystem of the invention is configured to perform at least a firstoperation to input image data, a second operation to process the imagedata and form a print finish, and a third operation to display anexpected finish as the result of the first and the second operations.

The image-forming system includes at least a finish informationgeneration unit configured to generate expected image finish informationon completion of the first and the second operations; an input settingscreen information generation unit configured to generate input settingscreen information for receiving a setting input by an operator based onthe expected image finish information generated by the finishinformation generation unit; a display unit configured to display anexpected image finish resulting from the expected image finishinformation and an input setting screen resulting from the input settingscreen information generated by the input setting screen informationgeneration unit; and a setting unit configured to receive a variety ofsetting inputs including the setting input by the operator by way of theinput setting screen displayed on the display unit.

On receiving the variety of setting inputs by the setting unit in theimage-forming system, the finish information generation unit isconfigured to generate the expected image finish information based onthe variety of setting inputs currently received, the input settingscreen information generation unit is configured to generate the inputsetting screen information based on the expected image finishinformation generated by the finish information generation unit, thedisplay unit is configured to display the expected image finishresulting from the expected image finish information and the inputsetting screen resulting from the input setting screen informationgenerated by the input setting screen information generation unit, andthe setting unit is configured to receive the variety of setting inputsincluding the setting input by the operator by way of the input settingscreen displayed on the display unit.

The image-forming system may further include an image analysis unitconfigured to analyze the image data and to extract documentcharacteristic values, in which the finish information generation unitgenerates the expected image finish information based on the documentcharacteristic values extracted by the image analysis unit, and theinput setting screen information generation unit generates the inputsetting screen information based on the document characteristic valuesextracted by the image analysis unit.

In addition, if the portion in the input setting screen, resulting fromthe input setting screen information generated by the input settingscreen information generation unit, is different from that correspondingto the portion in an initial input setting screen, resulting frominitial setting values, the display unit in the image-forming system isconfigured to display the portion with emphasis.

And, if the setting unit receives a setting item by the operator and ifthe display unit displays an updated input setting screen which isupdated according to the setting item by the operator, the display unitis configured to display the portion with emphasis, in which the portionin the updated input setting screen is different from the portioncorresponding to the noted portion in an input setting screen prior toupdating.

Further, in the image-forming system of the invention, the finishinformation generation unit generates expected image finish informationcontaining text information, the input setting screen informationgeneration unit generates an input setting screen information containingthe text information based on the expected image finish informationcontaining the text information, the display unit is configured todisplay the expected image finish containing the text information andthe input setting screen containing the text information, and thesetting unit receives a variety of setting inputs containing the textinformation.

Several sections and units in the image-forming system may beincorporated into a subsystem, an image processing apparatus, to furtherexert the capability of the image-forming system.

The image processing apparatus includes an image processing section, animage analysis section, a related function retrieval section, and arelated function correspondence table. The image processing sectionincludes a finish information generation unit, an input imageinformation generation unit, and a setting unit.

Moreover, by interconnecting the sections and units in the image-formingsystem by way of a network, an image processing system can be formed tofurther effect the efficiency of image-forming, which will be detailedlater on.

The abovementioned capabilities of the image-forming system of thepresent invention are exerted further by a method and a computer programproduct for use with the image-forming system.

Specifically, the method for use with the image-forming system isprovided for storing and processing image data for an image-formingsystem configured to perform at least a first operation to input imagedata, a second operation to process the image data and form a printfinish, and a third operation to display an expected finish as theresult of the first and the second operations.

The method includes the steps of receiving at least one of an image datainput command, a process command, and a print finish command; generatingexpected image finish information on completion of the first and thesecond operations; generating input setting screen information forreceiving a setting input by an operator based on the expected imagefinish information; displaying an expected image finish resulting fromthe expected image finish information and an input setting screenresulting from the input setting screen information; and receiving avariety of setting inputs including the setting input by the operator byway of the input setting screen.

On receiving the variety of setting inputs in the present method, thestep of generating expected image finish information based on thevariety of setting inputs currently received, the step of generatinginput setting screen information generates the input setting screeninformation based on the expected image finish information, the step ofdisplaying an expected image finish displays the expected image finishresulting from the expected image finish information and the inputsetting screen resulting from the input setting screen informationgenerated by the input setting screen information generation unit, andthe step of receiving a variety of setting inputs receives the varietyof setting inputs including the setting input by the operator by way ofthe input setting screen displayed on the display unit.

If the portion in the input setting screen, resulting from the inputsetting screen information generated by the input setting screeninformation generation unit, is different from that corresponding to theportion in an initial input setting screen, resulting from initialsetting values, the step of displaying an expected image finish isconfigured to display the portion with emphasis.

In addition, a computer program product for use with the image-formingsystem is also provided, being configured to perform at least a firstoperation to input image data, a second operation to process the imagedata and form a print finish, a third operation to display an expectedimage finish as the result of the first and second operations, and afourth operation to receive a setting input, in which the computerprogram product comprises a computer readable medium for storingcomputer instructions for performing the abovementioned process steps.

In another aspect of the invention, the image-forming system is furtherprovided with a spatial item identification unit and a language itemidentification unit. The spatial item identification unit is configuredto acquire spatial information on the expected image finish by thecontact of a contacting material, such as at least one of a finger of anoperator and a stylus, and to identify a spatial instruction item as aspatial setting; and the language item identification unit is configuredto receive voice information and identify a language instruction item asa setting mediated by language based on the voice information.

In addition, the display unit includes a touch panel for displaying theexpected image finish, and the spatial item identification unit acquiresthe spatial information by making a contact onto the touch panel withthe contacting material, and identifies the spatial instruction item.

On selecting one of the spatial instruction item and the languageinstruction item, the setting unit selects the other instruction itemafter restricting a number of candidates for the other instruction item,and sets the setting item among the one of the spatial instruction itemand the other instruction item.

For example, on selecting the spatial instruction item, the setting unitselects the language instruction item after restricting a number ofcandidates for the language instruction item, and sets the setting itemamong the spatial instruction item and language instruction itemcurrently selected.

The spatial instruction item identification unit is also adapted toidentify spatial certainty for the spatial instruction item, thelanguage instruction item identification unit identifies a languagecertainty for the language instruction item, and the setting unitdetermines an item relevancy as information on relevancy of the spatialinstruction item and the language instruction item.

In addition, the setting unit determines an item relevancy asinformation on the relevancy of the spatial instruction item and thelanguage instruction item, and sets the setting item for image formationbased on the spatial instruction item, the language instruction item,and the item relevancy.

This setting by the setting unit is performed according to the resultobtained from a weighting addition of the spatial instruction item, thelanguage instruction item, and the item relevancy, each appendingweighting factors.

The abovementioned capabilities of the image-forming system of thepresent invention are exerted further by a method and a computer programproduct for use with the image-forming system.

Specifically, the method of the invention for use with the image-formingsystem includes at least the steps of generating expected image finishinformation; displaying an expected image finish generated in the stepof generating based on the expected image finish information on adisplay unit; acquiring spatial information on the expected image finishby the contact of a contacting material, such as at least one of afinger of an operator and a stylus; identifying a spatial instructionitem as a spatial setting; receiving voice information; identifying alanguage instruction item as a setting mediated by language based on thevoice information; making the selection of the spatial instruction itemidentified in the step of identifying a spatial instruction item and inthe step of identifying a language instruction item; and setting asetting item for image formation.

In addition, the step of identifying a spatial instruction item acquiresspatial information on at least one of the location, the direction, andthe region of an image on the display unit, and identifies the spatialinstruction item; the step of identifying a language instruction itemreceives a voice by an utterance by the operator, and identifies thelanguage instruction item; and the step of setting sets said settingitem for image formation by making the selection of the spatialinstruction item and the language instruction item.

Still in addition, the step of setting sets the setting item for imageformation based on the result obtained from a weighting addition of thespatial instruction item, the language instruction item, and the itemrelevancy, each appending weighting factors.

In still another aspect of the invention, the image-forming system isfurther provided with a location acquisition unit in place of thespatial item identification unit and the language item identificationunit mentioned above.

The location acquisition unit is configured to receive a touch input byan operator onto the display unit displaying the expected image finishinformation and acquire information on the location of the touch input.

Based on the information on the location acquired by the locationacquisition unit, a setting unit configured to acquire processing iteminformation, instruct the display unit to display a processing itemresulting from the processing item information acquired, receive thetouch input onto the processing item displayed by the display, and setup the processing item received.

The location acquisition unit also sets the coordinate on the imagescreen and acquires the information on the location using coordinateinformation determined by making use of the coordinate currently set.

If a processing item is set, the setting unit acquires processing iteminformation related to the processing item, instructs the display unitto display a related processing item based on the processing iteminformation, and receives the touch input. In this case, the settingunit may alternatively be adapted to acquire at least one ofcancellation processing item information for canceling, and alterationprocessing item information for altering, the processing item, and thenreceive the touch input.

In addition, an execution determination unit is further included in theimage-forming system, configured to determine whether a processing itemset by the setting unit is executable. If the processing item isdetermined non-executable, the setting unit instructs the display unitto display information indicating that the processing item isnon-executable.

The determination unit is also configured to determine the reason forbeing non-executable of the processing item, and the setting unitinstructs the display unit to display information on the reason.

Still in addition, an image analysis unit is further included, which isconfigured to analyze the image data input and extract a documentcharacteristic value. The image finish information generation unit thengenerates the expected image finish information based on the documentcharacteristic value extracted by the image analysis unit.

The abovementioned capabilities of the image-forming system of thepresent invention are exerted further by a method and a computer programproduct for use with the image-forming system.

Specifically, the method of the invention for use with the image-formingsystem includes at least the steps of generating expected image finishinformation from image data input; displaying the expected image finishinformation generated in the step of generating; receiving a touch inputby an operator onto a display unit displaying the expected image finishinformation; acquiring information on the location of the touch input;and, based on the information on the location acquired in the step ofacquiring, acquiring processing item information in use for performingat least one of image data processing and print finish processing of theimage data input, instructing the display unit to display a processingitem resulting from the processing item information acquired, receivingthe touch input onto the processing item displayed by the display, andsetting the processing item received.

The step of acquiring is adapted to set a coordinate on an image screendisplayed by the display unit and acquire the information on thelocation using coordinate information determined by making use of thecoordinate currently set.

If a processing item is set, the step of setting acquires processingitem information related to the processing item, instructs the step ofdisplaying to display a related processing item based on the processingitem information, and receives the touch input. In this case, the stepof setting may alternatively be adapted to acquire at least one ofcancellation processing item information for canceling, and alterationprocessing item information for altering, the processing item, and thenreceive the touch input.

In addition, a step of determining is further included, configured todetermine whether a processing item set in the step of setting isexecutable. If the processing item is determined non-executable, thestep of setting instructs the display unit to display informationindicating that the processing item is non-executable.

The step of determining is also configured to determine the reason forbeing non-executable of the processing item, and the setting unitinstructs the display unit to display information on the reason.

Still in addition, a step of analyzing is further included, which isconfigured to analyze the image data input and extract a documentcharacteristic value. The step of generating then generates the expectedimage finish information based on the document characteristic valueextracted in the step of analyzing.

Having generally described the present invention, further understandingcan be obtained by reference to several embodiments which are providedto be illustrative and not to be limiting. Like numerals designate likeelements.

First, the following embodiments 1 through 4 primarily relate toimage-forming systems of the invention, configured to display anexpected image finish and a simplified input setting menu containing theitems narrowed-down from complex initial items to be used for inputtingdesirable items, and to display another expected image finish and inputsetting menu updated after reflecting setting inputs, if these inputsfor image formation are made by an operator.

Embodiment 1

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating an image-formingsystem according to a first embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the image-forming system 1 includes a scanner 11,an automatic document feeder (hereinafter, referred to as ADF) 111, ascanner controller 112, an image storage section 12, an image processingsection 13, a printer 14, a printer controller 142, a finish processingunit 141, an operation display section 15, an operation display controlsection 151, a system control section 16, and a communication controlsection 17.

The image-forming system 1 is connected to a network 18 by way of thecommunication control section 17. And, the image-forming system 1 isconfigured to read an image on a document original 19, process data ofthe image thus read out under appropriate conditions, and reproduce animage on a sheet of paper so as to output the image in the form of aprinted material 20 after printing and finish processing.

The scanner 11 is configured to convert the image readout of thedocument original 19 into digital image data.

In addition, the scanner 11 is provided with ADF 111 which is capableof, upon plural sheets of the document being loaded on a document tray,feeding the sheets forward one by one to a predetermined platen locationfor reading, and performing repetitive reading steps automatically. Thescanner 11 is also capable of reading the document sheet printed notonly on single side of the document sheet but also on both sides afterreversing the sides thereof by an appropriate transport switching means.

The scanner controller 112 assumes overall control of the scanner 11 inresponse to an instruction issued by the system control section 16.

The image storage section 12 is a buffer memory for temporarily storingdigital image data and other similar data which are read out by thescanner 11 or externally input.

Onto the multivalued data which are sent from the scanner andtemporarily stored in the image storage section 12, the image processingsection 13 is configured to perform gamma correction or MTF (modulationtransfer function) correction, gradation processing such as slicing ordither treatment, and thereafter binarization (or multi-valued)processing.

The image processing section 13 also performs several image processingsteps to meet the conditions and priorities currently set by a user,such as image enlargement/reduction and density/color adjustment; andlayout improvement processing such as double/single-sided print,collective print, or margin adjustment. Since the image processingsection 13 constitutes the portion characteristic to the presentinvention, further details thereof will be given later on.

The printer 14 is configured to perform several steps utilizingelectrophotographic techniques, such as deflective scanning of a lightbeam, based on the image data suitably processed by the image processingsection 13; forming an electrostatic latent image on the surface of aphotosensitive drum; developing the electrostatic latent image withtoner to be visualized as a toner image; and transferring andsubsequently fixing the toner image onto a sheet.

The printer controller 142 conducts the control of the printer 14 inresponse to instructions from the system control section 16.

The printer 14 is provided with the finish processing unit 141. Thefinish processing unit 141 is configured to perform various finishprocessing according to user setting, such as sorting out printedmaterials like printed material 20 by a number of copy or pages,arranging and stapling the plural pages of the printed materials, andpunching proper punch holes for use in filing in a binder or file.

Being provided with a microphone 15 a, an input unit 15 b, a displayunit 15 c, and a speaker 15 d, the operation display section 15 isconfigured to input setting contents by voice through the microphone 15a; input such contents by the input unit 15 b through a keyboard, atouch-panel or other similar device; and display menu items of contentson a display panel 15 c.

In addition, the display panel 15 c is so designed as to make voiceoutputs by speaker 15 d in addition to visual displays.

The operation display section 15 is adapted for a user to select andinput items from a menu to preferably be executed by the image-formingapparatus.

The contents of the menu includes various conditions and priorities suchas, for example, for reading an image by the scanner 11 corresponding todocument conditions, processing the data of the image read out as aboveby image processing section 13, printing the processed image data by theprinter 14, and/or performing finish processing such as sorting,stapling, or punching printed materials succeeding to printing by thefinish processing unit 141.

The operation display section 15 may be embodied as an operation panel,for example.

The display panel 15 c is instructed to show the user the informationregarding expected image finish which is generated by a finishinformation generation unit 131.

The expected image information is shown on the display panel 15 c, ifthe information is in the form of pictorial images and texts, while theexpected image information is voice output using speaker 15 d when it isgenerated in the form of a voice.

When a display device is preferred as the display panel 15 c, the lattermay be shared with a display device already existing in theimage-forming apparatus 1, or alternatively be provided separately as adevice for exclusive use.

The operation display control section 151 is configured to assumeinput/output controls of the operation display section 15 such as, forexample, an output control of image data, which are processed by theimage processing section 13, to the display unit 15 c and speaker 15 dof the operation display section 15; and an input control directed tothe microphone 15 a and input unit 15 b also of the section 15.

Being connected to the sections, units, and devices in the image-formingsystem 1, the system control section 16 assumes overall control thereof.The system control section 16 includes several devices (not shown),including at least CPU, ROM, and RAM, in which CPU is configured toperform various necessary processing based on fundamental programsstored in ROM.

The communication control section 17 is connected to a network 18, suchas LAN (local area network) and the Internet, so as to exchange imagedata and control data each other with other apparatuses connected by wayof the network 18 according to the communication protocol.

Next, the image processing section 13 is further detailed as thecharacteristic portion in the present invention.

The image processing section 13 includes the finish informationgeneration unit 131, an input image information generation unit 132, anda setting unit 133.

The finish information generation unit 131 is configured to generateinformation regarding expected image finish as a result of imageprocessing of document images and finish treatment of thus processedimages based on image data currently read out and various settinginputs.

The finish information generation unit 131 utilizes aforementionedmultivalued data temporarily stored in the image storage section 12during the processing.

The finish information generation unit 131 is also configured togenerate initial finish information to be voice output to the speaker 15d of the operation display section 15 based on the multivalued datatemporarily stored in the image storage section 12 and the image dataprocessed by the image processing section 13. The thus generated initialfinish information may be output either as a pictorial image and a texton the display panel 15 c or voice outputs using speaker 15 d.

The input image information generation unit 132 is configured togenerate input screen information based on the initial finishinformation generated by the finish information generation unit 131, soas to display a setup screen image on the display panel 15 c.

When a user performs an inputting operation for setting through a setupscreen image on the display panel 15 c; the input unit 15 b including akeyboard, a touch-panel or other similar device; and/or a microphone,the setting unit 133 is instructed to accept input signals issued by theinputting operation.

On accepting the setting signals by the input setting unit 133, thefinish information generation unit 131 is instructed to update andgenerate finish information according to accepted setting signals. Theexpected image finish is then updated and displayed on the display panel15 c.

The input image information generation unit 132 is configured togenerate input screen information, thereby creating a display screen tobe used for receiving setting inputs again from the user. Based on theupdated input screen information, the display screen is updated anddisplayed on the display panel 15 c.

A setting mechanism in the invention comprises the setting unit 133,operation display control section 151, microphone 15 a, and the inputunit 15 b. In addition, a display mechanism also in the inventioncomprises the operation display control section 151, display panel 15 c,and the speaker 15 d.

FIG. 2A is an explanatory view illustrating a display image appearing ona display screen during reading step, showing an initial expected imagefinish screen according to one embodiment of the present invention; andFIG. 2B is a view illustrating a display image appearing on a displayscreen upon reading a document, showing various items assisting anoperator in inputting an initial setup (i.e., initial setting screen).

FIG. 3A is a plan view illustrating a display image on the displayscreen notifying the acceptance of setup input by the operator by way ofthe display screen of FIG. 2B (i.e., first setting screen); and FIG. 3Bis a plan view illustrating a display image showing an image finishwhich is expected to be formed as instructed by the setup contentscurrently input by way of the display screen of FIG. 3A (i.e., expectedimage finish screen).

In a default setting of the initial expected image finish screen shownin FIG. 2A, there displayed are the type of document as “CHARACTER”, acopy sheet of the size of A4 lengthwise as “A4”, and the magnificationas “EQUAL MAGNIFICATION”. Also displayed diagrammatically in the screenin the default setting are boundary lines of an expected printout, andcharacter strings to be printed.

While expected image information is essentially shown in graphics, theportions otherwise more understandable are represented by characters,such as “A4” and “EQUAL MAGNIFICATION”, as shown just above.

It should noted that a mechanism may further be included such that theseitems in graphics and characters, which appear in the default setting,be automatically modified according to the document currently read outand image data input.

The display image of FIG. 2B is a display screen in the default forreceiving initial setup inputs (i.e., initial setting screen) which isdisplayed on the display panel 15 c together with the initial expectedimage finish screen of FIG. 2A.

The items to be set on the screen are (1) the type of document,character or photograph, (2) the location of stapling processing oncopied sheet, and (3) the location of punched hole(s) on copied sheet.On the display screen or the display panel 15 c, a user now performsnecessary setting inputs by checking pertinent boxes by a touch panel ora mouse, for example.

FIG. 3A illustrates a display image on the display screen indicating theacceptance of setup input by the operator (i.e., first setting screen),in which pertinent boxes on the screen have been checked by the user'ssetting inputs indicating (1) the type of document is both character andphotograph, (2) the location of stapling to be at the upper left of thecopied sheet, and (3) two punched holes to be on the left of the sheet.

Subsequently, the setting shown in FIG. 3A are sent to setting unit 133,the finish information generation unit 131 generates updated finishinformation according to accepted setting signals, and the expectedimage finish is displayed on the display panel 15 c.

The expected image finish shown in FIG. 3B diagrammatically illustratesa screen image displayed based on the expected finish information whichis updated and generated by the finish information generation unit 131.

This expected image finish screen displayed on the display panel 15 cindicates that a printout is to be made, containing both characters andphotographs, being provided with stapling processing at the upper left(shown, for example, as a short, slant line 32 a in FIG. 3B), and withpunching processing on the left of the sheet (shown as two circles 32 bin FIG. 3B).

Together with the expected image finish screen of FIG. 3B, the firstsetting screen of FIG. 3A is displayed side by side on the display panel15 c. This facilitates for the user to input a setting change, if any,by way of the input screen.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow for forming an imageby the image-forming system according to the first embodiment of theinvention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the process begins at a standby state of theimage-forming system, in which the system is standing ready for eitherreading a document by a scanner, or receiving an image data input by wayof a network 18 (step S101).

If an image data input is received (i.e., “YES” in step S101), thefinish information generation unit 131 is instructed first to generateinitial expected finish information indicative of the result of imageprocessing of document image data and finish treatment of the processedimages based on initial setting information (or, default setting values)(step S102).

The input image information generation unit 132 is then instructed togenerate input screen information based on the default setting, therebycreating a display screen to be used for receiving setting inputs by auser (step S103).

The information used herein for the default setting may be stored as adefault specification in the system control section 16.

The display panel 15 c is configured to display an initial expectedfinish screen and an input setting screen to be used for receivingsetting inputs from the user according to the initial expected finishinformation generated by the finish information generation unit 131 andthe input screen information generated by the input image informationgeneration unit 132 (step S104).

Viewing the initial expected finish screen and the input setting screen,the user then inputs necessary setting items, if any.

Thereafter, the setting unit 133 is configured to inquire whether thesesetting items input by the user are accepted through the input settingscreen, microphone 15 a, or input unit 15 b (step S105).

If the acceptance of the setting input is detected (“YES” in step S105),the finish information generation unit 131 is configured to update andgenerate expected finish information as a result of image processing ofdocument images and finish treatment of thus processed images based onthe setting information currently accepted (step S102).

In addition, the input image information generation unit 132 isconfigured to generate again input screen information to be used forreceiving setting inputs by the user based on the accepted settinginformation (step S103).

If any change in setting contents has taken place by the user setting,input screen information is generated in use for displaying a renewedinput screen containing updated contents.

The display panel 15 c is instructed to display again an initialexpected finish screen and an input setting screen to be used forreceiving setting inputs from the user according to the initial expectedfinish information generated by the finish information generation unit131 and the input screen information generated by the input imageinformation generation unit 132 (step S104).

If no acceptance of the setting input is detected by the setting unit133 (“NO” in step S105), the operation display section 15 is standingready for detecting a copy operation instruction input through a bottomswitch, for example (step S106). If the copy operation command isdetected (“YES” in step S106), a copy operation is performed (stepS107).

(Example of Image Finish Screen)

In an expected image finish screen in the invention, it is preferablefor specific portions in the finish screen, which are likely to changeby inputting settings, to be displayed with emphasis.

For example, the portions in the expected image finish screen, which aredifferent from the initial (or previous) expected image finish screen,may be displayed with appropriate emphasis. Alternatively, if settinginputs have been performed by the user and if either image finish orinput setting screen is changed by the setting inputs, the portionscurrently altered are now shown highlighted.

As a result, the changes in the image finish and the input settingscreen, which are caused by the setting inputs by the user, can berecognized visually with relative ease.

The signals, which are setting input by way of the input unit 15 b ofthe operation display section 15, are received and setting processed bythe input setting unit 133 of image processing section 13.

The setting signals are received by the finish information generationunit 131 which is configured to generate finish information according toaccepted setting inputs.

In addition, the thus generated finish information is displayed on thedisplay panel 15 c.

FIG. 5 is a drawing illustrating an expected image finish screenindicating the portions in the screen, which are altered and differentfrom those in an initial expected image finish screen caused by usersetting, are displayed with emphasis in a predetermined manner.

The user setting has been made as a setting change to be altered fromthe default setting, as described earlier in reference to FIG. 3A, suchas (1) stapling at the upper left of copied sheet, and (2) two punchedholes on the left of the sheet.

These altered portions in the expected image finish screen are now shownin a different color and/or with a different background. For example,the locations of the stapling 50 c and punched holes 50 d may bedisplayed with red as the different color, each having backgroundsmarked with red slant lines in the vicinity thereof.

Alternatively, the emphasis may be placed with a different backgroundcolor. For example, the current user setting portions (1) and (2) areshown as a red slant line (stapling) and red circles (punched holes),respectively, against orange-color slant lines background, while otherunaltered portions remain as shown with the background in the same whitecolor as default portions.

As a result of such emphasized display, the portions in the expectedimage finish screen, which are different from those in the defaultsetting or caused by the user setting, can be recognized visually withrelative ease.

Still in addition, other means for performing the emphasis mayalternatively be adoptable, such as the use of colors other than thoseabovementioned for displaying the results of finish processing and thebackground thereof, and also the use of blinking portions in the displayscreen.

Moreover, if the portions are displayed in the form of text bycharacters by display panel 15 c, these characters in the emphasizedportions may be shown in a font-type and/or font-size different fromothers, which facilitates for the user to recognize visually theportions of current interest with relative ease.

The setting input signals are sent to the input setting unit 133 ofimage processing section 13, and input screen information, whichindicates currently updated contents (or menu) to be subsequentlydisplayed, is generated based on the setting inputs.

The display panel 15 c is then configured to receive the input screeninformation indicative of the updated menu, and to display another inputsetting screen showing this updated menu to be in use for receiving newsetting inputs.

With this configuration it becomes feasible to show the operatoraccurate setting contents.

For example, after a stapling setting has been made, another inputscreen can be displayed based on the stapling setting, inquiring whethera binding processing is to be performed. Thus, plausible settingcontent(s) needed in further processing can be presented accurately tothe operator.

Alternatively, if a screen is shown for inquiring the selection of adouble-side print and this print setting is then made, a further menumay be displayed to instruct the operator to input a number for defininga gutter or binding margin.

When an enough margin on the page cannot be found to be allocated to thegutter after inputting the gutter number, another setting screen may beprepared further in use for readjusting the page margin as a whole.

With such configuration, therefore, new setting items can be accuratelyshown to the operator for assisting succeeding setting inputs.

FIG. 6A is a drawing illustrating an expected print image finish inthree dimensions, while FIG. 6B is a drawing illustrating an expectedprint image finish in three dimensions in an animated fashion. FIG. 6Cis a drawing illustrating another expected print image finish in threedimensions in an animated fashion.

By way of example, a five-page document is read prior to setting inputsthrough the setting screen and an expected print image finish isdisplayed in three dimensions, or stereoscopically, on the display panel15 c as shown in FIG. 6A.

In this case, a touch panel is assumed as the display panel 15 c. Ontouching, by a finger or a stylus pen, the triangle mark at bottom righton the screen designated as “NEXT PAGE”, the expected print image finishof the document is now shown to the operator stereoscopically on thescreen with its first page turned over as shown in FIG. 6B.

On touching further the “NEXT PAGE” triangle, the pages are turned overone by one in the stereoscopic image of the document, the operator canrecognize visually the expected print image finish shown in threedimensions on the display panel 15 c.

As another example, there shown in FIG. 6C is another image of thedocument, which is shown as rotated in the expected print image finishin the screen.

In this example, the image of the expected print image finish of thedocument displayed on the screen can be rotated in an animated fashionby the operator on the axis parallel to the horizontal side of the pageby touching either the “BACKWARD” triangle mark or “FORWARD” at thebottom on the screen. Also, by touching either the “LEFT” triangle markor “RIGHT”, the image is rotated on the axis parallel to the verticalside of the page.

By rotating while displacing the expected printed material 20 (FIG. 1)on the screen, therefore, an appearance and condition of expected imageof the document finish can be observed from different directions.

In the present case shown in FIG. 6C, the expected print image finishhas been obtained after rotating “BACKWARD” by 90° and toward “LEFT” by90°.

While the touch panel has been used in the above examples as the meansfor turning the pages over and rotating the document, other means mayalternatively be used, such as a keyboard, for example.

Moreover, besides the display on the display panel 15 c, voice-outputmeans may alternatively be used to inform the operator, in which textinformation can be voice-output through known speech transformationtechniques such that the expected print image finish and setting itemsare informed by way of a speaker 15 d to the operator.

As described herein above, in the image-forming system according to thefirst embodiment of the invention, an expected image finish screen isdisplayed prior to print processing and an input setting screen is alsodisplayed to be used for receiving setting inputs from the operatorbased on image data which are obtained by reading a document or by wayof a network 18. In addition, if setting inputs are made by theoperator, another expected image finish screen is generated anddisplayed, incorporating the setting inputs.

As a result, it becomes feasible for the operator to view the expectedimage finish and a setting screen containing setting items which arenarrowed-down based on the expected image finish. Working efficiency andconvenience can therefore be much improved in the image-formingoperation.

If some portions in the expected image finish screen are altered by thelatest user setting, the portions different from the initial expectedimage finish screen can be displayed with appropriate emphasis.

These portions can therefore be recognized visually by the operator withmore ease. As a result, document print processing can be carried out inline closer to the operator's settings.

Moreover, if the setting screen is altered by user setting, the thusaltered setting screen is displayed to receive additional settinginputs. The operator can therefore carry out further input settings soas to bring the image finish asymptotically closer to a desired, andmore appropriate image.

In addition, since expected image finish can be displayed on the screenas an image, in either text format, or stereoscopic or animatedpictorial fashion, it becomes feasible for the operator to confirm theexpected image finish in advance with more ease.

Embodiment 2

FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram illustrating an image-formingsystem 2 according to a second embodiment of the invention.

The block diagram of FIG. 7 has a similar configuration as that of FIG.1, with the exception that the image-forming system 2 further includesan image analysis section 31, a related function retrieval section 32,and a related function correspondence table 321, and that somecapabilities of the present image processing section 33 are differentfrom those of the image processing section 31 of the first embodiment.

In the image-forming system 2 according to the present embodiment, theimage analysis section 31, related function retrieval section 32, andrelated function correspondence table 321 are configured to extractdocument characteristic values, and to make a selection of informationrelated to equivalent setting items based on the document characteristicvalues. The image processing section 33 then generates an expected imagefinish information and an input setting information, and the displaypanel 15 c is configured to display an expected image finish and aninput setting screen.

The image analysis section 31 is configured to analyze document imagedata stored in the image storage section 12 and extract the documentcharacteristic values indicative of document characteristics. By“document characteristic values” meant is the size, orientation(lengthwise or widthwise), and margin size of the document, for example.

On receiving a variety of information of the document characteristicvalues computed by the image analysis section 31, the related functionretrieval section 32 is configured to search several related functionsnecessary to be set for duplicating the document.

The related function retrieval section 32 is provided with the relatedfunction correspondence table 321 as a file which contains a table ofvarious functions related to respective document characteristic values.

The related function retrieval section 32 is now configured to retrieve,from the related function correspondence table 321, several relatedfunctions corresponding to document characteristic values currentlyinput, and to send narrowed-down related function information to theimage processing section 33.

Next, the image processing section 33 in the image-forming system 2 willbe described according to the second embodiment of the invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, the image analysis section 31 is provided witha finish information generation unit 331, an input image informationgeneration unit 332, and a setting unit 333.

The finish information generation unit 331 in the image processingsection 33 according to the second embodiment has similar capabilitiesas those of the finish information generation unit 131 in imageprocessing section 13 of the first embodiment, with the exception thatthe generation unit 331 is configured to generate finish informationutilizing (1) the document characteristic values based on the resultsobtained from the analysis by image analysis section 31, and (2) therelated function information retrieved and narrowed-down by the relatedfunction retrieval section 32 using the input document characteristicvalues.

In addition, the input image information generation unit 332 in theimage processing section 33 according to the second embodiment hassimilar capabilities as those of the input image information generationunit 132 in the image processing section 13 of the first embodiment,with the exception that the section 33 is configured to generate aninput setting screen utilizing the document characteristic values basedon the results obtained from the analysis by image analysis section 31,and the related function information retrieved and narrowed-down by therelated function retrieval section 32 using the input documentcharacteristic values.

Still in addition, the image processing section 33 in the setting unit333 according to the second embodiment has similar capabilities as thoseof the setting unit 133 in the image processing section 13 of the firstembodiment, with the exception that the unit 333 is configured toreceive setting inputs through setting screen formed based on settingscreen information which is generated utilizing the documentcharacteristic values based on the results obtained from the analysis byimage analysis section 31, and the related function informationretrieved and narrowed-down by the related function retrieval section 32using the input document characteristic values.

Therefore, the image processing section 33 displays the expected imagefinish and the setting screen in use for receiving additional user'ssetting, together with the document characteristic values analyzed bythe image analysis section 31, to thereby be able to receive theirsetting inputs.

Since the expected image finish and the items additionally to be inputcan be narrowed-down precisely with the present configuration, theimage-forming operation can be provided with improved working efficiencyand user's convenience.

In a manner similar to the first embodiment, the expected image finishinformation may be presented by either pictorial images or textsdisplayed on the display panel 15 c, or voice-output by way of speaker15 d.

The image analysis section 31, the related function retrieval section32, and related function correspondence table 321, therefore, constitutean image analyzing mechanism in the invention.

FIG. 8A is an explanatory view illustrating a display image of anexpected image finish which is formed from the data of a document readout by the image-forming system according to the second embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 8B is another explanatory view illustrating a display image of anexpected image finish according to the second embodiment of the presentinvention.

The finish information generation unit 331 is configured to generateexpected finish information indicative of the result of data processingand finish treatment by reflecting (1) the document image data currentlyinput, and (2) the document characteristic values analyzed by the imageanalysis section 31, to the input setting screen which is formedaccording to initial setting information (default setting values). Then,the finish information generation unit 331 instructs the expected finishinformation be displayed on the display panel 15 c.

During the above noted process steps, (1) the document image data shownas 81 a in FIG. 8A, and (2) the document characteristic values analyzedby the image analysis section 31 shown as 81 b in FIG. 8A, are bothreflected to the default setting screen. As a result, the expectedfinish information is then generated and displayed as the expected imagefinish screen of 81 c in FIG. 8A.

The document characteristic values analyzed by the image analysissection 31 herein shown as 81 b in FIG. 8A indicate (1) the A3 size, (2)the widthwise orientation, and (3) the margin size of top 20 mm, bottom15 mm, left 20 mm, and right 20 mm, for the current document.

It is noted that the values, which are difficult to be recognizedclearly on the screen, may be shown in the text form as illustrated justabove for the margin size.

The user performs renewed setting inputs, if necessary, while visuallyconfirming the expected image finish on the screen.

A current setting input screen is assumed as that of FIG. 3A, forexample. When a user performs setting inputs, the finish informationgeneration unit 331 is configured to generate updated expected imagefinish information incorporating the user's setting, to subsequently bedisplayed on the display panel 15 c.

For example, if the setting inputs are made in a manner similar to thoseof FIG. 3A, such as (1) stapling on the upper left and (2) two punchedholes on the left, the expected image finish is shown as 82 c in FIG.8B, indicating such as a short, slant line 82 d and two circles 82 e asupdated outputs resulting from the user settings of the stapling andhole punching, respectively.

FIG. 9 is a drawing illustrating an expected image finish screenindicating the portions in the screen, which are altered and differentfrom those in an initial expected image finish screen caused by usersetting, are displayed with emphasis.

As described above, the user setting has been made as (1) stapling onthe upper left and (2) two punched holes on the left. In addition, thefollowing document characteristic values have been extracted; (3) the A3size, (4) the widthwise orientation, and (5) the margin size of top 20mm, bottom 15 mm, left 20 mm, and right 20 mm, for the current document

These altered portions in the expected image finish screen are now shownin a different color, such as red, for example (the shaded “A3” portionin FIG. 9), while the portions remained unaltered are displayed asbefore.

In addition, the portions reflecting the document characteristic values(3), (4), and (5) are shown in another color, such as blue. Further, theportions resulting from the user setting (1) and (2), i.e., stapling andtwo punched holes, are shown as shadowed red marks.

FIG. 10A is a view illustrating a screen image for setting various itemsfor generating the expected image finish screen of FIG. 9, while FIG.10B is a view illustrating another screen image for setting additionalitems.

FIG. 10C is a view illustrating a display image of an updated expectedimage finish which is formed after incorporating renewed user settinginputs.

The input image information generation unit 132 is configured togenerate input setting information incorporating the above noted (1) and(2) settings to subsequently be displayed on the display panel 15 c(FIG. 10A).

Next, additional setting inputs are assumed to further be made by theuser, such as (6) the location of stapling changes to the upper left,and (2) two punched holes to the right (FIG. 10B).

On accepting renewed setting inputs in the image-forming system 2according to the second embodiment, the finish information generationunit 331 is configured to update and generate expected image finishinformation according to the accepted setting signals, and the inputimage information generation unit 332 generates input settinginformation.

According to the generated expected image finish information and inputsetting information, respectively, the display panel 15 c is configuredto display an updated expected image finish screen and an updated inputsetting screen.

If some portions in the screen are altered and different from those inan initial expected image finish screen by user setting, as shown inFIG. 10C, it is preferable that these altered portions be displayed withemphasis by using the background in different color, such as red orviolet, for example (shaded area).

In addition, other means for performing the emphasis may alternativelybe adoptable, such as the effects of background smearing or blinking,and characters different in font-type and/or font-size, in a mannersimilar to the first embodiment.

FIG.11 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow for forming an imageby the image-forming system according to the second embodiment of theinvention.

Referring to FIG. 11, the process begins at a standby state of theimage-forming system, in which the system is standing ready for eitherreading a document by a scanner, or receiving an image data input by wayof a network 18 (step S201).

If an image data input is received (i.e., “YES” in step S201), the imageanalysis section 31 is configured to analyze document image data and toextract the document characteristic values (step S202), and the relatedfunction retrieval section 32 is configured to retrieve the relatedfunction correspondence table 321 and select setting items in use forreceiving users setting inputs (step S203).

The finish information generation unit 331 is instructed to generateinitial expected finish information indicative of the result of imageprocessing of document image data and finish treatment of the processedimages based on initial setting information (default setting values) andthe document characteristic values (step S204).

The input image information generation unit 332 is then instructed togenerate input screen information based on the default setting and thesetting items selected by the related function retrieval section 32,thereby creating a display screen to be used for receiving settinginputs by the user. In the case of the default setting, the defaultcontents may be configured to be stored by the system control section 16(step S205).

The display panel 15 c is configured to display an initial expectedfinish screen and an input setting screen to be used for receivingsetting inputs from the user according to the initial expected finishinformation generated by the finish information generation unit 331 andthe input screen information generated by the input image informationgeneration unit 332 (step S206).

Viewing the initial expected finish screen and the input setting screen,the user then inputs necessary setting items, if any.

Thereafter, the setting unit 333 is configured to inquire whether thesesetting items input by the user are accepted through the input settingscreen, microphone 15 a, or input unit 15 b (step S207).

If the acceptance of the setting input is detected (“YES” in step S207),the finish information generation unit 331 is configured to update andgenerate expected finish information as a result of image processing ofdocument images and finish treatment of thus processed images based onthe setting information currently accepted (step S204).

In addition, the input image information generation unit 332 isconfigured to generate again input screen information to be used forreceiving setting inputs by the user based on the accepted settinginformation (step S205).

If any alteration of setting contents has been made by the user setting,input screen information is generated in use for displaying a renewedinput screen containing updated contents.

The display panel 15 c is instructed to display again an initialexpected finish screen and an input setting screen to be used forreceiving setting inputs from the user according to the initial expectedfinish information generated by the finish information generation unit331 and the input screen information generated by the input imageinformation generation unit 332 (step S206).

If no acceptance of the setting input is detected by the setting unit333 (“NO” in step S207), the operation display section 15 is standingready for detecting a copy operation command input through a bottomswitch, for example (step S208). If the copy operation command isdetected (“YES” in step S208), a copy operation is performed (stepS209).

During the process steps, several measures may be taken in practice asfollows such as (1) if a setting for punching holes is made in thesetting screen, which is formed on reading the document characteristicvalues, and if it is found that a wider space margin is necessary,another input screen (not shown) may preferably be displayed in use forsetting the space margin; (2) if a setting for changing the location ofpunched holes is made from the left to the right, or vice versa, thischange is preferably shown stereoscopically in the expected imagefinish; (3) if an un-appropriate setting, such as too large or smallmargin, is detected by the setting unit 333, this is preferablydisplayed as a warning in the expected image finish; (4) if the marginportion is found too small, the input image information generation unit332 is preferably configured to display, in the input screen, an iteminstructing the reduction in the size of the portions other than themargin, to thereby receiving a further setting for the size reduction bythe operator; (5) if the margin portion is found too large, in contrast,the input image information generation unit 332 is preferably configuredto display an item instructing the of the portions other than themargin, to thereby receiving a further setting for the enlargement bythe operator; and (6) when the density of document image is determined,being in an un-appropriate range by the image processing section 33, theinput image information generation unit 332 is preferably configured todisplay an item specifying the density, to thereby receiving a furthersetting for the density by the operator.

As described herein above, the image-forming system is configuredaccording to the second embodiment of the invention to extract documentcharacteristic values from image data, which are obtained by reading adocument or by way of the network, and to display an expected imagefinish screen and an input setting screen capable of receiving settinginputs by the operator prior to print processing. In addition, ifsetting inputs are received from the operator, another expected imagefinish screen is generated and displayed, incorporating the settinginputs.

Embodiment 3

According to a third embodiment of the invention, an image processingapparatus is provided as a subsystem for primarily performing imageprocessing, being incorporated into the image-forming systems 1,2 of thefirst and second embodiments.

FIG. 12 is a functional block diagram illustrating an image-formingsystem 3 according to the third embodiment of the invention,incorporating the image processing apparatus 50.

While the image-forming system 3 is described herein below as the samestructure as that of the second embodiment, the system 3 may be alsocompared to the structure in the first embodiment when the portiontherein for performing image processing is excluded.

The image processing apparatus 50 includes an image processing section53, an image analysis section 51, a related function retrieval section52, and a related function correspondence table 521.

The image processing section 53 includes a finish information generationunit 531, an input image information generation unit 532, and a settingunit 533.

The structure and functional capabilities of the image processingsection 53, image analysis section 51, related function retrievalsection 52, and related function correspondence table 521 included inthe image processing apparatus 50 are similar to those of the imageprocessing section 33, image analysis section 31, related functionretrieval section 32, and related function correspondence table 321included in the image-forming system 2; and the details thereof areherein abbreviated.

In the image-forming system 3 according to the third embodiment of theinvention, an expected image finish screen is displayed prior to printprocessing and an input setting screen is also displayed to be used forreceiving setting inputs from the operator based on image data which areobtained by reading a document or by way of a network. In addition, ifsetting inputs are made by an operator, another expected image finishscreen is generated and displayed, incorporating the setting inputs.

In addition, the image-forming system 3 is configured to extractdocument characteristic values from image data, which are obtained byreading a document or by way of the network, and to display an expectedimage finish screen and an input setting screen capable of receivingsetting inputs by the operator are displayed prior to print processing.Also, if setting inputs are received from the operator, another expectedimage finish screen is generated and displayed, incorporating thesetting inputs.

Embodiment 4

FIG. 13 is a functional block diagram illustrating an image-formingsystem 4 according to a fourth embodiment of the invention,incorporating a first and second image processing apparatus 73,74.

This image-forming system 4 is constructed by incorporating the imageprocessing apparatus 50 and other units included in the image-formingsystem for performing image processing in third embodiment.

The image-forming system 4 has a similar configuration to theimage-forming system 3 of the third embodiment, with the exception thatseveral apparatuses and units are interconnected by way of a network 18.

The image-forming system 4 according to the fourth embodiment includes adocument reading section 71, a first image processing apparatus 73, asecond image processing apparatus 74, an operation display apparatus 75,and a printing apparatus 76, which are interconnected by way of thenetwork 18.

Since the structure and functional capabilities of the document readingsection 71, first image processing apparatus 73, second image processingapparatus 74, operation display apparatus 75, and printing apparatus 76included in the present image-forming system 4 are similar to those ofthe document reading functioning portion, image processing section 53,image analysis functioning portion, operation display functioningportion, print functioning portion of FIG. 12; the details thereof areherein abbreviated.

Respective sections and apparatuses in the image-forming system 4 areinterconnected by way of the network 18 so as to performtransmission/reception operations of various pieces of information. Withthis construction deploying these sections and apparatuses in adistributed fashion, image processing functions can be achieved, havingcapabilities similar to the case in which they all are gathered into onelocation for integral processing.

In the image-forming system 4 according to the fourth embodiment of theinvention, an expected image finish screen is displayed prior to printprocessing and an input setting screen is also displayed to be used forreceiving setting inputs from the operator based on image data which areobtained by way of the network. In addition, if setting inputs are madeby an operator, another expected image finish screen is generated anddisplayed, incorporating the setting inputs.

In addition, the image-forming system 4 is configured to extractdocument characteristic values from image data, which are obtained byway of the network, and to display an expected image finish screen andan input setting screen capable of receiving setting inputs by theoperator are displayed prior to print processing. Also, if settinginputs are received from the operator, another expected image finishscreen is generated and displayed, incorporating the setting inputs.

As a result, it becomes feasible for the operator to look at theexpected image finish and a setting screen containing setting itemswhich are narrowed-down based on the expected image finish, and theimage-forming system 4 can be constructed, having improved workingefficiency and convenience.

(Hardware Configuration)

FIG. 14 is a block diagram diagrammatically illustrating a hardwareconfiguration of the image-forming system 5000 of the present invention.

The image-forming system 5000 according to the invention includes atleast control units, such as CPU (central processing unit) 5010; storageunits, such as ROM (read only memory) 5020 and RAM (random accessmemory) 5030; external storage units, such as HDD (hard disc drive) 5040and CD (compact disc) drive (not shown); display units, such as amonitor 5110, which may be connected through a graphic processingapparatus 5050; input units, such as a keyboard 5120, a mouse 5130, bothof which may be connected through an input interface 5060; a readingapparatus 5140, which may include a scanner (not shown); and a printingapparatus 5150, which may include a laser printer (not shown), therebyassuming a conventional configuration of the computer system.

A computer program for use with the image-forming system 5000 of theinvention is provided with files in the format installable orexecutable, which are stored in a computer usable storage medium, suchas CD-ROM, FD (flexible disc), CD-R (CD recordable), DVD (digitalversatile disc) and other similar discs.

The computer program may alternatively be provided by first storing in,and then downloading from a computer connected to a network 18, such as,for example, the internet. Alternatively, a computer program for formingimages executable in the image-forming system of the present inventionmay be transmitted or distributed by way of the network.

In addition, a computer program for forming images may alternatively beprovided by ROM and other similar storage devices by storing the programtherein beforehand.

The computer program in use for forming images in the image-formingsystem of the invention assumes a module configuration with theaforementioned sections and units, such as the image processing section13, operation display control section 151, system control section 16,communication control section 17, image analysis section 31, and relatedfunction retrieval section 32.

That is, for the computer program being read out from the storagedevice, and subsequently being executed by CPU 5010, the abovementionedsections are loaded practically in a main storage section such that theimage processing section 13,33,53, operation display control section151, system control section 16, communication control section 17, imageanalysis section 31,51, and related function retrieval section 32,52,are generated in the main storage unit.

The following embodiments 5 through 11 primarily relate to image-formingsystems of the invention, configured to utilize a contact operation oran utterance for performing a print setting and representing an imagefinish.

Specifically, the spatial item identification unit included in thesystem acquires spatial information on the expected image finish bycontacting to a touch panel with a material, such as a finger of anoperator or a stylus, and identifies a spatial instruction item as aspatial setting; and the language item identification unit receivesvoice information, and identifies a language instruction item as asetting mediated by language based on the voice information.

Embodiment 5

FIG. 15 is a functional block diagram illustrating an image-formingsystem according to a fifth embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 15, the image-forming system 5 includes a scanner 11,ADF 111, a scanner controller 112, an image storage section 12, an imageprocessing section 130, a printer 14, a printer controller 142, a finishprocessing unit 141, an operation display section 15, an operationdisplay control section 151, a system control section 16, and acommunication control section 17.

The image-forming system 5 is connected to a network 18 by way of thecommunication control section 17. And, the image-forming system 5 isconfigured to read an image on a document original 19, process imagedata read out, and reproduce an image on a sheet of paper so as tooutput the image in the form of a printed material 20 after printing andfinish processing.

The scanner 11 is configured to convert the thus readout image of thedocument original 19 into digital image data.

In addition, the scanner 11 is provided with ADF 111 which is capableof, upon plural sheets of the document original 19 being loaded on adocument tray, feeding the sheets forward one by one to a predeterminedplaten location for reading, and performing repetitive reading stepsautomatically. The scanner 11 is also capable of reading the documentsheet printed not only on one (single) side of the document sheet butalso on both (double) sides after reversing the sides thereof by anappropriate transport switching means.

The scanner controller 112 assumes overall control of the scanner 11 inresponse to an instruction issued by the system control section 16.

The image storage section 12 is a buffer memory for temporarily storingdigital image data and other similar data which are read out by thescanner 11 or externally input.

Onto the multivalued data, which are sent from the scanner 11 andtemporarily stored in the image storage section 12, the image processingsection 130 is configured to perform gamma correction, MTF (modulationtransfer function) correction, and gradation processing such as slicingor dither treatment, and thereafter binarization (or multi-valued)processing.

The image processing section 130 also performs several image processingsteps to meet the conditions and priorities currently set by a user,such as image enlargement/reduction and density/color adjustment; andlayout improvement processing such as double/single-sided print,collective print, or margin adjustment.

The image processing section 130 includes a spatial item identificationunit 137, a language item identification unit 138, a processing itemsetting unit 133, an image information generation unit 132, and asetting item storage unit 135.

The image information generation unit 132 is configured to generateexpected image finish information for forming an expected image finishto be displayed on a display panel 15 c based on image data input. Sincethe image processing section 130 constitutes the portion characteristicto the present invention, further details thereof will be given lateron.

The printer 14 is configured to perform several steps utilizingelectrophotographic techniques, such as deflective scanning of a lightbeam, based on the image data suitably processed by the image processingsection 130; forming an electrostatic latent image on the surface of aphotosensitive drum; developing the electrostatic latent image withtoner to be visualized as a toner image; and transferring andsubsequently fixing the toner image onto a sheet.

The printer controller 142 conducts the control of the printer 14 inresponse to instructions from the system control section 16.

The printer 14 is provided with the finish processing unit 141. Thisprocessing section 141 is configured to perform various finishprocessing according to user setting, such as sorting out printedmaterials like printed material 20 by the number of copy or pages,arranging and stapling plural pages of the printed materials, andpunching proper punch holes for use in filing in a binder or file.

Being provided with a microphone 15 a, a touch panel 15 b, and a displaypanel 15 c, the operation display section 15 is configured to inputsetting contents by voice through a microphone 15 a; input such contentsby the input unit 15 b through a keyboard, a touch-panel 15 b or othersimilar device; and to display menu items of contents on a display panel15 c.

In addition, the display panel 15 c is designed so as to make voiceoutputs by speaker (not shown) in addition to visual displays.

The operation display section 15 is adapted for a user to select andinput items from a menu to preferably be executed by the image-formingapparatus.

The contents of the menu includes various conditions and priorities suchas, for example, for reading an image by the scanner 11 corresponding todocument conditions, processing the data of the image read out as aboveby image processing section 130, printing the processed image data bythe printer 14, and/or performing finish processing such as sorting,stapling, or punching printed materials succeeding to printing by thefinish processing unit 141.

The operation display section 15 may be embodied as a touch panel 15 b,for example.

The touch panel 15 b is instructed to show the user the informationregarding expected image finish which is generated by a finishinformation generation unit 131 in addition to display menu items forsetting operation.

The expected image information is shown on the touch panel 15 b, if theinformation is in the form of pictorial images and texts, while theexpected image information is voice output using the speaker (not shown)when it is generated in the form of voice.

The display panel 15 c may be provided integrally with the touch panel15 b, or alternatively be provided separately as a display device forexclusive use.

The operation display control section 151 is configured to assumeinput/output controls of the operation display section 15 such as, forexample, an output control of image data, which are processed by theimage processing section 130, to the touch panel 15 b and speaker (notshown) of the operation display section 15. In addition, the operationdisplay control section 151 assumes input controls for the microphone 15a and touch panel 15 b.

Being connected to the sections, units, and devices in the image-formingsystem 5, the system control section 16 assumes overall control thereof.The system control section 16 includes several devices (not shown),including at least CPU, ROM, and RAM, in which CPU is configured toperform various necessary processing based on fundamental programsstored in ROM.

The communication control section 17 is connected to a network 18, suchas a LAN and the Internet so as to exchange image data and control dataeach other with other apparatuses connected by way of the network 18according to the communication protocol.

Next, the image processing section 130 as the characteristic portion inthe invention is detailed herein below.

The image processing section 130 includes the finish informationgeneration unit 131, an input image information generation unit 132, anda setting unit 133.

As aforementioned, the image information generation unit 134 isconfigured to generate expected image finish information for forming anexpected image finish to be displayed on a display panel 15 c based onimage data input.

The operation display control section 151 instructs the display panel 15c to display an expected image finish according to the expected imagefinish information generated earlier.

While the display panel 15 c and touch panel 15 b are shown separatelyon the drawing, they may be constructed integrally. Therefore, a contactby an operator's finger onto the display panel 15 c is equivalent toreceiving a contact input onto the touch panel 15 b.

The touch panel 15 b is adapted to receive an input of spatial positioninformation at a finished state of printed material 20 on the expectedimage finish screen currently displayed through a contact with a fingeror a stylus (hereinafter referred to as “pointer”) by an operator, whileviewing an expected image finish screen currently displayed on thedisplay panel 15 c.

The spatial item identification unit 137 is configured to analyze thespatial position information received by the touch panel 15 b, andidentify a spatial setting item, such as a margin width, for example.

The microphone 15 a of the operation display section 15 is configured toreceive a voice information input by the operator's utterance.

The language item identification unit 138 is configured to recognize alanguage instruction item as a setting mediated by the languageinformation by performing the voice recognition, and subsequently thelanguage analysis, of the voice information input by way of themicrophone 15 a.

The processing item setting unit 133 is configured to set up a settingitem to apply during image formation by properly selecting among thespatial setting items identified by the spatial item identification unit137 and the language setting items recognized by the language itemidentification unit 138.

The spatial setting items currently selected is stored in the settingitem storage unit 135, which are subsequently acquired by the spatialitem identification unit 137 as the candidates for spatial instructionitems.

The processing item setting unit 133 is adapted to identify properspatial instruction items out of the candidates selected by the spatialitem identification unit 137.

For example, the spatial item identification unit 137 makes theidentification by computing an aberration between the spatialinformation actually acquired and that of the spatial instruction itemstored in the setting item storage unit 135, and by arranging the thuscomputed values of the aberration in descending order.

In addition, setting items concerning language are stored in the settingitem storage unit 135, which are subsequently acquired by language itemidentification unit 138 as the candidates for language instructionitems.

The processing item setting unit 133 is adapted to identify properlanguage instruction items out of the candidates selected by thelanguage item identification unit 138.

For example, the language item identification unit 138 makes theidentification by computing an aberration between the voice informationactually acquired and that of the language instruction item stored inthe setting item storage unit 135, and by arranging the thus computedvalues of the aberration in descending order.

The processing item setting unit 133 sets up setting items for formingan image by properly correlating the spatial and language instructionitems identified as above.

The image information generation unit 132 is configured to antherexpected image finish information based on the setting items set up bythe processing item setting unit 133, and instruct to display on thedisplay panel 15 c.

As a specific example of the setting inputs, a user can perform an inputby means of a pointer, such as a finger of the user or an exclusivestylus, with respect to a certain location, direction, region, and/orshape over the expected image finish screen currently displayed on thedisplay panel 15 c.

As to the location of contact, for example, the spatial itemidentification unit 137 is adapted to identify a location of printing astamp or punching a hole out of several candidates therefor as thelocation closest to the contact point.

As to the direction, the spatial item identification unit 137 identifiesa direction of opening a page after double-sided printing, or ofproviding a staple out of several candidates therefor as the directionclosest to that of the pointer movement from the moment of contactthrough detachment.

Further, as to the region, the spatial item identification unit 137identifies a region of blank space or erasure by recognizing the locusof pointer movement from the moment of contact through detachment as arectangular area and by selecting the value closest to that of therectangular area recognized above.

If the user specifies the format for printing a date, such as“2004/2/23”, the spatial item identification unit 137 is adapted torecognize from a contacted form of a pair of slash marks, “/ /”, basedon a locus of pointer movement from the moment of contact throughdetachment.

While, if the user specifies another format, such as “2004.2.23”, thespatial item identification unit 137 recognizes a pair of period marks,“. .”, generated from the pointer contact.

The language item identification unit 138 is adapted to recognize avoice by the voice recognition means, and also to recognize the languageinstruction item as candidates out of setting item information stored inthe setting item storage unit 135. By “language instruction item” ismeant herein the types of processing performed by the duplicationapparatus pronounced by user's voice, such as, for example, printing astamp, punching, direction of setting a document original, stapling,space margin, erasure, and printing a date.

The processing item setting unit 133 is adapted to set up setting itemsinstructed by the user in the image-forming system after complementarilyidentifying proper setting items through combining complementarily thesetting items identified by the spatial item identification unit 137 andthe language item identification unit 138.

The setting item storage unit 135 is configured to store several settingchange items capable of being combined each other, such as processing,location, direction, region, and shape items.

On receiving an input for changing the setting by way of the displaypanel 15 c, the processing item setting unit 133 performs a settingchange by selecting a proper combination out of the abovementioned itemsstored in the setting item storage unit 135.

FIG. 16 is a plan view of an expected image finish showndiagrammatically illustrating the steps for setting image processingitems by contact operation or utterance onto a touch panel by a useraccording to the fifth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 17 is another view of the expected image finish in which imageprocessing items are set by contact operation or utterance onto a touchpanel by the user to receive further setting inputs by way of thescreen.

FIG. 18 is still another view of the expected image finish in whichimage processing items are set by contact operation or utterance onto atouch panel by the user to receive further an input for setting adouble-sided print.

In the case when the user instructs to print a date in a specifiedformat, “2004/2/25”, an expected image finish screen is first displayed,in which an expected image finish 110 b appears as an image formed onreading a document original reflecting the default setting prior to asetting operation by a user (FIG. 16).

Thereafter, the user performs a contact operation such that a pointerforms the contact locus 110 c (FIG. 16) of pointer movement from themoment of contact through detachment. The touch panel 15 b then acquiresspatial information through the contact operation.

Subsequently, the user utters a voice, “PRINT DATE” (user's utterance orvoice 110 d). The microphone acquires voice information from theutterance.

The spatial item identification unit 137 then recognizes the slash marksfor printing a date based on the location information of the marks,while the language item identification unit 138 recognizes as “date”from the uttered voice, “PRINT DATE”, and select a correspondinglanguage instruction item.

By combining the items selected above, the processing item setting unit133 is adapted to set up a setting for printing a date in the format,such as “2004/2/25”, at the upper left of the expected image finish 110b (FIG. 16), which is subsequently displayed as another expected imagefinish 120 b (FIG. 17) on the display panel 15 c.

The expected image finish 120 b shown in FIG. 17 is therefore an imagereflecting several items set up during the abovementioned operationsteps.

Table 1 illustrates a correlation table for identifying a processingitem for use in image formation out of the spatial instruction, andlanguage instruction items.

TABLE 1 Language Spatial item item Position item Processing LocationDirection Region item item item item Shape item Print date Upper rightYYYY/MM/DD Print date Upper left YYYY/MM/DD Print date . . . YYYY/MM/DDPrint date Upper right YYYY/MM/DD Print date Upper left YYYY/MM/DD Printdate . . . YYYY/MM/DD Opening Left and right direction Opening Up anddown direction Left margin Width

After recognizing the slash marks for printing a date from the contactby the pointer, and also recognizing “PRINT DATE” from the voice amongthe language instruction items, a concrete date information, YYYY/MM/DD,is fixed as a shape item by means of the dating capability of the imageprocessing section 130.

The user then makes another contact operation with one's finger suchthat the pointer forms the contact locus 120 c (FIG. 17) of pointermovement, and pronounces a voice, “MARGIN” (user's voice 120 d).

The spatial item identification unit 137 analyzes and identifies thecontact locus as a rectangular information, the language itemidentification unit 138 recognizes a margin setting from the utteredvoice among the language instruction items, the processing item settingunit 133 recognizes and sets up the width in the horizontal direction ofthe contact locus as a margin width from the thus recognized rectangularinformation and margin setting instruction, the image informationgeneration unit 134 generates expected image finish information fordisplaying an expected image finish which is formed as an image (130 b)having a wider space margin after displacing the entire image towardright (FIG. 18), and the display panel 15 c displays the expected imagefinish screen currently updated (130 b of FIG. 18).

The user then specifies the direction of opening the first page after adouble-sided printing on the expected image finish (130 b) displayed onthe display panel 15 c. This is performed for the user to make a contactoperation with one's finger such that the pointer forms the contactlocus 130 c (FIG. 18) of pointer movement, and pronounces a voice,“DOUBLE-SIDED COPY” (user's voice 130 d).

From the two inputs from the finger's contact operation and user'sutterance, the spatial item identification unit 137 and the languageitem identification unit 138 are adapted to recognize the direction ofthe contact locus 130 c as that for opening the page. And, theprocessing item setting unit 133 receives a setting as a double-sidedcopy having a page opening to left and right.

From the setting now received, the image information generation unit 132generates expected image finish information for forming an expectedimage finish. This expected image finish information is preferablyformed to display the expected image finish in three dimensions (orstereoscopically).

FIG. 19 is a perspective view illustrating an expected print imagefinish after the setting for forming a double-sided copy.

Referring to FIG. 19, the expected print image finish is shown in threedimensions as the image of multiple pages of double-sided copies, whichhave page openings to the left and right with the same top and bottomdirection throughout the pages.

FIG. 20 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow for forming an imageby the image-forming system according to the fifth embodiment of theinvention.

Referring to FIG. 20, the process begins at a standby state of theimage-forming system, in which the image information generation unit 132is standing ready for detecting an image data (step S301).

If an image data input is received (i.e., “YES” in step S301), the imageinformation generation unit 132 generates expected image finishinformation (step S302). The operation display section 15 instructs todisplay an expected image finish screen based on the expected imagefinish information (step S303).

The touch panel 15 b is here ready for detecting an input from a contactoperation (step S304). If the input from the contact is received (i.e.,“YES” in step S304), the spatial item identification unit 137 acquiresspatial information from the contact input and identifies a spatialinstruction item (step S305).

The microphone 15 a is here ready for detecting an input from a voice(step S306). If the input from the voice is received (i.e., “YES” instep S306), the language item identification unit 138 acquires voiceinformation and identifies a language instruction item (step S307).

The processing item setting unit 133 sets up a setting for image-formingprocessing from the combination of the spatial instruction items andlanguage instruction items (step S308).

In the case when no printing is performed (“NO” in step S309), the imageinformation generation unit 132 generates an expected image finishinformation again based on the setting item set up in step S308 (stepS302), the display panel 15 c displays another expected image finishscreen (step S303), and repeats routine steps, such as receiving acontact input with a pointer, if necessary.

If an instruction for image-forming processing, such as printing isreceived (“YES” in step S309), the image-forming processing is performed(step S310).

As described herein above, the image-forming system according to thefifth embodiment of the invention is configured to display an expectedimage finish on the display panel 15 c, select a spatial instructionitem by the input with the pointer and a language instruction item byvoice input, set up an image-forming processing item by combining thespatial and language instruction items. As a result, the image-formingsystem can be materialized as a highly convenient and reliable system.

Embodiment 6

FIG. 21 is a functional block diagram primarily illustrating an imageprocessing section 230 as a major portion of the image-forming systemaccording to a sixth embodiment of the invention.

The block diagram of FIG. 21 has a similar configuration as that of FIG.15, with the exception that the capability of a processing item settingunit 233 included in an image processing section 230 is different fromthat of the processing item setting unit 133 included in the imageprocessing section 130 in the fifth embodiment of the invention.

For purposes of clarity, the following detailed description will be madeprimarily on the portions unique to the sixth embodiment.

The processing item setting unit 233 according to the sixth embodimentis configured to set up processing items for image formation as follows.

In the case when instruction items are recognized from one of thespatial item identification unit 137 and the language itemidentification unit 138 (i.e., first instruction items from the firstunit), the processing item setting unit 233 selects first candidatesfrom the first setting items, and then outputs the first candidates tothe other one of the unit 137 and the unit 138 (i.e., the second unit).

On receiving the first candidates, the second unit is adapted to selectsecond candidates for instruction item by putting restrictions on thefirst candidates. The processing item setting unit 233 is then able toset up the processing items for image formation by combining the firstcandidates selected by the first unit and the second candidates possiblyrestricted by the second unit. With this configuration, processing itemsfor image formation can be narrowed down properly.

By way of example, a description will be given of the case whereinstruction items from the spatial item identification unit 137 arefirst recognized.

Specifically, the processing item setting unit 233 extracts spatialinstruction items from setting items stored in the setting item storageunit 135 according to spatial instruction item information recognized bythe spatial item identification unit 137, and output the spatialinstruction items extracted as above to the language item identificationunit 138 as candidates for selecting processing items.

The language item identification unit 138 makes selections ofcorresponding language instruction items based on the spatialinstruction item information currently input.

The language item identification unit 138 makes selections of candidatesfor language instruction items corresponding to the candidates forlanguage instruction items received from the processing item settingunit 233 through the identification referring to the languageinstruction items obtained from the language analysis of user'sutterance.

Subsequently, the language item identification unit 138 sends thecandidates for language instruction items to the processing item settingunit 233.

The processing item setting unit 233 determines processing itemscorresponding to the setting input from the user by combining thelanguage instruction items received now as above and the spatialinstruction items acquired previously. The thus determined processingitems are set up into the image-forming system.

FIG. 22 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow for forming an imageby the image-forming system according to the sixth embodiment of theinvention.

The steps up to S305, where the spatial instruction items arerecognized, are similar to the steps S301 through S305 of the fifthembodiment.

The operation display section 15 instructs the display panel 15 c todisplay an expected image finish screen based on the expected imagefinish information (step S303 of FIG. 20). On receiving the input fromthe contact by the touch panel 15 b (i.e., “YES” in step S304), thespatial item identification unit 137 acquires spatial information andidentifies a spatial instruction item (step S305).

The processing item setting unit 233 makes selections of candidates forlanguage instruction items and outputs to the language itemidentification unit 138 (step S401).

The microphone 15 a is ready for detecting a voice input (step S402). Ifthe voice input is received (i.e., “YES” in step S402), the languageitem identification unit 138 acquires voice information detected by themicrophone 15 a, identifies candidates for language instruction itemscorresponding to the candidates for spatial instruction item inputpreviously, and outputs to the processing item setting unit 233 aftermaking selections (step S403).

The processing item setting unit 233 sets up processing items for imageformation according to the spatial instruction items input previouslyand the language instruction items input from the language itemidentification unit 138 (step S404).

In the sixth embodiment of the invention described herein above, theprocessing item setting unit 233 is adapted to recognize instructionitems from the spatial item identification unit 137 and select thecandidates for the setting items, and output the candidates to thelanguage item identification unit 138.

Subsequently, the language item identification unit 138 selectscandidates corresponding to abovementioned candidates. The processingitem setting unit 233 then sets up processing items for image formationby combining thus selected spatial instruction, and language instructionitems.

A Modification to Embodiment 6

FIG. 23 is a functional block diagram illustrating the image processingsection 330 as a major portion of the image-forming system as amodification to the sixth embodiment of the invention.

The block diagram of FIG. 23 has a similar configuration as that of FIG.21, with the exception that the processing steps performed by the imageprocessing section 330 are different from those by the image processingsection 230 of the sixth embodiment.

The processing item setting unit 333 in the image processing section 330recognizes first the instruction items from the language itemidentification unit 138 and selects the candidates for the settingitems, and output the candidates to the spatial item identification unit137.

Subsequently, the spatial item identification unit 137 selectscandidates corresponding to abovementioned candidates sent from thelanguage item identification unit 138. The processing item setting unit333 then sets up processing items for image formation by combining thusselected spatial instruction, and language instruction items. With thisconfiguration, processing items for image formation can be narrowed downproperly.

Specifically, the processing item setting unit 333 extracts languageinstruction items from setting items stored in the setting item storageunit 235 according to language instruction item information recognizedby the language item identification unit 138, and output languageinstruction items extracted as above to the spatial item identificationunit 137 as candidates for selecting processing items.

The spatial item identification unit 137 makes selections ofcorresponding spatial instruction items based on the languageinstruction item information currently input. Subsequently, the spatialitem identification unit 137 sends the candidates for spatialinstruction items to the processing item setting unit 333.

The processing item setting unit 333 determines processing itemscorresponding to the setting input from the user by combining thespatial instruction items received now as above and the languageinstruction items acquired previously. The thus determined processingitems are set up into the image-forming system.

FIG. 24 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow for forming an imageby the image-forming system according to the modification to the sixthembodiment of the invention.

The process here starts from step S303, where the display panel 15 cdisplays an expected image finish screen based on the expected imagefinish information.

The microphone 15 a is ready for detecting a voice input (step S501). Ifthe voice input is received (i.e., “YES” in step S501), the languageitem identification unit 138 acquires voice information detected by themicrophone 15 a, identifies candidates for language instruction items,and outputs to the spatial item identification unit 137 after makingselections (step S503).

The touch panel 15 b is ready for detecting a pointer contact (stepS504). On receiving the input from the pointer contact by the touchpanel 15 b (i.e., “YES” in step S504), the spatial item identificationunit 137 acquires spatial information and identifies a spatialinstruction item corresponding to the candidates for languageinstruction item input previously (step S505).

The processing item setting unit 333 sets up processing items for imageformation through identifying the correspondence between the languageinstruction items input previously and the spatial instruction itemsinput currently (step S506).

In the modification to the sixth embodiment of the invention describedherein above, the processing item setting unit 333 is adapted torecognize instruction items from the language item identification unit138 and select the candidates for the setting items, and output thecandidates to the spatial item identification unit 137.

Subsequently, the spatial item identification unit 137 selectscandidates corresponding to abovementioned candidates. The processingitem setting unit 333 then sets up processing items for image formationby properly correlating thus selected language instruction, and spatialinstruction items.

As a result, the processing items can be selected efficiently andreliably by selecting candidates out of language instruction, andspatial instruction items in proper sequence, and item setting operationcan be performed efficiently.

Embodiment 7

FIG. 25 is a functional block diagram primarily illustrating an imageprocessing section 430 as a major portion of the image-forming systemaccording to a seventh embodiment of the invention.

The block diagram of FIG. 25 has a similar configuration as that of FIG.23, with the exception that the setting item storage unit 335 in theimage processing section 430 is further provided with a certainty DB 335a so that a spatial item identification unit 437 and a language itemidentification unit 438 recognize certainty information appended toinstruction items, and that a processing item setting unit 433 performsprocess setting for image formation by making selections frominstruction items appended with the certainty information.

For purposes of clarity, the following detailed description will be madeprimarily of the portions unique to the seventh embodiment.

The spatial item identification unit 437 is configured to append spatialcertainty information, which is retrieved from the certainty DB 335 a,to instruction item information stored in the setting item storage unit335, and identifies the instruction item information, to outputsubsequently to the processing item setting unit 433.

The language item identification unit 438 is configured to appendlanguage certainty information, which is retrieved from the certainty DB335 a, to instruction item information stored in the setting itemstorage unit 335, and identifies the instruction item information, tooutput subsequently to the processing item setting unit 433.

The processing item setting unit 433 is configured to set up processingitems for image formation by properly correlating the spatialinstruction item information appending spatial certainty information andthe language instruction item information appending language certaintyinformation.

The certainty of a spatial instruction item is defined, for example, tobe in inverse proportion to an error of spatial information currentlyread out and that stored in relation to the spatial instruction itembeforehand in the setting item storage unit 335.

The certainty of a language instruction item is defined to be in inverseproportion to an error of language information currently input by voiceand voice information stored beforehand in relation to the languageinstruction item in the setting item storage unit 335.

The certainty DB 335 a may be constituted, for example, by containing atleast a table of the error and the certainty of spatial, and voiceinformation.

Using the table of error and certainty, the spatial item identificationunit 437 and the language item identification unit 438 retrieve andappend certainty information to each instruction item.

The processing item setting unit 433 sets up processing items for imageformation by selecting proper spatial instruction, and languageinstruction items according to the appended certainty.

FIG. 26 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow for forming an imageby the image-forming system according to the seventh embodiment of theinvention.

Since the steps up to S304 are similar to the steps S301 through S304 ofthe fifth embodiment, the description thereof is herein abbreviated andthe steps unique to the present embodiment are primarily described.

If the touch panel 15 b detects a contact input by user's finger (i.e.,“YES” in step S304), the spatial item identification unit 437 is adaptedto identify a spatial instruction item from the spatial information andto acquire related spatial certainty information (step S601).

The microphone 15 a is ready for detecting a voice input (step S602). Ifthe voice input is received (i.e., “YES” in step S602), the languageitem identification unit 438 identifies a language instruction item fromthe voice information, and acquires related language certaintyinformation (step S603).

Utilizing the spatial certainty and language certainty, the processingitem setting unit 433 sets up processing items for image formation byproperly correlating the spatial instruction, and language instructionitems (step S604).

In the seventh embodiment of the invention described herein above, thespatial item identification unit 437 identifies the spatial instructionitems appending spatial certainty information, the language itemidentification unit 432 identifies the language instruction itemsappending language certainty information, and the processing itemsetting unit 433 performs process setting for image formation byproperly correlating the spatial instruction, and the languageinstruction items using the certainty information.

Embodiment 8

FIG. 27 is a functional block diagram primarily illustrating an imageprocessing section 530 as a major portion of the image-forming systemaccording to an eighth embodiment of the invention.

The block diagram of FIG. 27 has a similar configuration as that of FIG.23, with the exception that the setting item storage unit 335 in theimage processing section 530 is further provided with a relevancy DB 335b so that the processing item setting unit 538 acquires relevancy whichrepresents the degree of mutual connection between spatial instructionitems identified by the spatial item identification unit 537 andlanguage instruction items identified by the language itemidentification unit 532, and that the processing item setting unit 538performs process setting for image formation by making selections ofprocessing items for image formation according to thus acquiredrelevancy.

For purposes of clarity, the following detailed description will be madeprimarily on the portions unique to the eighth embodiment.

The relevancy DB 335 b is configured to store relevancy with respect toevery combination of spatial instruction, and language instructionitems.

Referring again to FIG. 16 in the fifth embodiment, for example, if theuser's contact locus 110 c is detected, the possibility of theprocessing of printing date can be assumed quite high.

Accordingly, the relevancy of the spatial instruction item indicated bythe contact locus of the aforementioned pair of slashes and the languageinstruction item of printing date is also high, and this may berepresented numerically as 0.9, for example. By contrast, the relevancyof the spatial instruction of the pair of slashes and the languageinstruction item of punching-hole processing is defined as low as 0.1,for example.

Thus defined values for the relevancy are stored in the relevancy DB 335b of the setting item storage unit 335.

The processing item setting unit 533 sets up processing items for imageformation by acquiring relevancy for each of the spatial instruction,and language instruction items, and by selecting the combination of theinstruction items to yield the highest value of relevancy.

FIG. 28 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow for forming an imageby the image-forming system according to the eighth embodiment of theinvention.

Since the steps up to S307 are similar to the steps S301 through S307 ofthe fifth embodiment, the description thereof is herein abbreviated andthe steps unique to the present embodiment are primarily described.

The language item identification unit 438 acquires voice information,and identifies language instruction items by performing languageanalysis (step S307).

The processing item setting unit 538 then acquires relevancy of spatialinstruction items identified by the spatial item identification unit 537and language instruction items identified by the language itemidentification unit 532 (step S701), and performs process setting forimage formation by properly correlating the spatial instruction, andlanguage instruction items according to the relevancy acquired above(step S702).

In the eighth embodiment of the invention described herein above, thespatial item identification unit 537 identifies the spatial instructionitems, and the language item identification unit 532 identifies thelanguage instruction items.

And, the processing item setting unit 538 acquires relevancy of each ofspatial instruction, and language instruction items, and performsprocess setting for image formation according to the relevancy acquiredabove.

A Modification to Embodiment 8

FIG. 29 is a functional block diagram illustrating the image processingsection 630 in the image-forming system as a modification to the eighthembodiment of the invention.

A processing item setting unit 633 sets up processing items for imageformation based on spatial instruction items appending certaintyinformation currently acquired, language instruction items appending thecertainty, and relevancy of spatial instruction, and languageinstruction items.

This item setting is carried out, for example, according to the resultsof the weighting addition.

Specifically, the setting item is identified by (1) performing theweighting addition of the certainty and relevancy of each of the spatialinstruction, and language instruction items, (2) acquiring a maximumvalue from the addition, and (3) identifying the combination of thespatial instruction, and language instruction items, which yields themaximum value. And, the processing item setting unit 633 performs theset up by selecting the abovementioned combination as the setting item.

Specifically, for the spatial instruction, and language instructionitems related to the candidate for the setting items, there assumed area certainty value Si for i-th spatial instruction item candidate, afurther certainty value Lj for j-th language instruction item candidate,a relevancy value Rij for the combination of the i-th spatialinstruction item candidate and the j-th language instruction itemcandidate, a weighting factor Sc for spatial instruction items, afurther weighting factor Lc for language instruction items, and a stillfurther weighting factor Rc for the relevancy.

The processing item setting unit 633 then sets up processing items by(1) computing an equationPij=ScSi+LcLj+RcRij,(2) finding, from the result of the computation, the combination of thespatial instruction, and language instruction items, which yields themaximum Pij value, and (3) identifying the spatial instruction, andlanguage instruction items corresponding to the i-th and j-thinstruction item candidates.

FIG. 30 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow for forming an imageby the image-forming system according to the eighth embodiment of theinvention.

Since the steps up to S304 are similar to the steps S301 through S304 ofthe fifth embodiment, the description thereof is herein abbreviated andthe steps unique to the present embodiment are primarily described.

If the touch panel 15 b detects a contact input by user's finger (i.e.,“YES” in step S304), the spatial item identification unit 437 acquiresspatial information and corresponding certainty information (step S801).

The microphone 15 a is ready for detecting a voice input (step S802). Ifthe voice input is received (i.e., “YES” in step S802), the languageitem identification unit 438 acquires voice information, identifieslanguage instruction items, and acquires related language certaintyinformation (step S803).

The processing item setting unit 633 acquires relevancy information ofthe spatial instruction, and language instruction items (step S804).

The processing item setting unit 633 performs the addition of thespatial certainty, language certainty, and relevancy, each appendingweighting factors; properly correlates instruction items having themaximum value obtained from the addition; and sets up processing itemsfor image formation (step S805).

In the modification to the eighth embodiment of the invention describedherein above, the processing item setting unit 633 makes the addition ofthe certainty of spatial instruction item, certainty of languageinstruction item, and relevancy of these instruction items, eachappending weighting factors; properly correlates instruction itemshaving the maximum value obtained from the addition; and sets upprocessing items for image formation.

Embodiment 9

FIG. 31 is a functional block diagram illustrating an image-formingsystem 6 according to a ninth embodiment of the invention.

The block diagram of FIG. 31 has a similar configuration as that of FIG.15, with the exception that the image-forming system 6 further includesan image analysis section 81, a related function retrieval section 82,and a related function correspondence table 821, and that somecapabilities of the present image processing section 730 are differentfrom those of the image processing section 130 of the fifth embodiment.

In addition, the image processing section 730 includes a spatial itemidentification unit 737, a language item identification unit 738, aprocessing item setting unit 733, and an image information generationunit 732.

In the image-forming system 6 according to the fifth embodiment, theimage analysis section 81, related function retrieval section 82, andrelated function correspondence table 821 are configured to extractdocument characteristic values.

The image information generation unit 732 generates expected imagefinish information from input image data based on the documentcharacteristic value currently extracted, and the display panel 15 c isconfigured to display an expected image finish and an input settingscreen.

The image analysis section 81 is configured to analyze document imagedata stored in the image storage section 12 and extract the documentcharacteristic values indicative of document characteristics. “Documentcharacteristic values” means the size, orientation, and margin size ofthe document original 19, for example.

On receiving a variety of information of the document characteristicvalues computed by the image analysis section 81, the related functionretrieval section 82 is configured to search several related functionsnecessary to be set for duplicating the document original 19.

The related function retrieval section 32 is provided with the relatedfunction correspondence table 821 as a file which contains a table ofvarious functions related to respective document characteristic values.

The related function retrieval section 82 retrieves, from the relatedfunction correspondence table 821, several related functionscorresponding to document characteristic values currently input, and tosend narrowed-down related function information to the image processingsection 730.

The related function information received by the image processingsection 730 is used for generating expected image finish information bythe image information generation unit 732.

The image information generation unit 734 included in the imageprocessing section 730 according to the ninth embodiment is configuredto generate finish information and input image information using (1)document characteristic values based on the results obtained from theanalysis by image analysis section 81 and (2) the related functioninformation extracted and narrowed-down by the related functionretrieval section 82 using the input document characteristic values.

In addition, setting inputs may be received through an input screendisplayed on the display panel 15 c based on the input image informationin a similar manner to the fifth embodiment.

The image analysis section 81, the related function retrieval section82, and related function correspondence table 821, therefore, constitutean image analyzing mechanism in the invention.

Based on the document characteristic values obtained from the analysisby image analysis section 81 and document image data, the processingitem setting unit 733 then performs the setup for the current document,such as (1) the A3 size, (2) the widthwise orientation, and (3) themargin size of top 20 mm, bottom 15 mm, left 20 mm, and right 20 mm.

The user performs additional settings by way of a touch panel 15 band/or a microphone 15 a, if necessary, while visually confirming theexpected image finish on the screen. Since process steps following thesettings are similar to those of the fifth embodiment, the descriptionthereof is herein abbreviated.

FIG. 32 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow for forming an imageby the image-forming system according to the ninth embodiment of theinvention.

If an image data input is received by the image information generationunit 732 (i.e., “YES” in step S301 in the fifth embodiment), the imageanalysis section 81 analyses input document image data and extractsdocument characteristic values (step S901), the related functionretrieval section 82 retrieves the related function correspondence table821 based on the document characteristic values extracted by the imageanalysis section 81, and the results obtained from the retrieval aresent to the image processing section 730 (step S902).

The image information generation unit 732 generates another expectedimage finish information taking the abovementioned results into account(step S903) and the display panel 15 c is instructed to display anexpected image finish (step S904).

Since process steps following displaying the expected image finish aresimilar to those of the fifth embodiment, the description thereof isherein abbreviated.

In the modification to the ninth embodiment of the invention describedherein above, the image information generation unit 732 instructs todisplay the expected image finish and the setting screen in use forreceiving additional user's setting, taking into account the documentcharacteristic values analyzed by the image analysis section 31, and thesetting inputs can be received by way of the display.

Therefore, the expected image finish and the items additionally to beinput can be narrowed-down precisely with the present structure. Theprocessing items can be selected with high certainty and precision, anditem setting operation can be performed efficiently and reliably.

Embodiment 10

An image processing apparatus according to a tenth embodiment of theinvention is provided as a subsystem for primarily performing imageprocessing, being incorporated into the image-forming system of thefifth embodiment.

FIG. 33 is a functional block diagram illustrating an image-formingsystem 7, incorporating the image processing apparatus 50. The imageprocessing apparatus 50 is configured to have the same image processingcapabilities as those of the image-forming system 7. Therefore,description of these image processing capabilities is hereinabbreviated.

In the image-forming system according to the tenth embodiment of theinvention, an expected image finish screen is displayed prior to printprocessing and an input setting screen is also displayed to be used forreceiving setting inputs from the operator based on image data which areobtained by reading a document or by way of a network.

Thus, the expected image finish is displayed on the display panel 15 c,suitably selecting spatial instruction items are suitably selected bypointer input, language instruction items are identified by voice input,and image processing items are set after properly correlating thespatial instruction items and language instruction items.

Embodiment 11

FIG. 34 is a functional block diagram illustrating an image processingsystem according to an eleventh embodiment of the invention.

This image processing system is constructed, incorporating theabovementioned image processing apparatus 70 and other units forperforming the same image processing as in the fifth embodiment.

The present image-forming system has a similar configuration to theimage-forming system 7 of the tenth embodiment, with the exception thatseveral apparatuses and units are interconnected by way of a network.

The image processing system 70, a document reading section 71, and aprinter section 76 are interconnected by way of the network, therebyconstituting an imaging system.

The image processing system 70 includes an image processing apparatus 73and an operation display apparatus 75. In addition, the units includedin the image processing section 73 may alternatively be formedseparately, being interconnected by way of the network.

Further, an image analysis apparatus 74 may further be included foranalyzing document characteristic values, as shown also in FIG. 34.

In the image-forming system according to the eleventh embodiment of theinvention, an expected image finish screen is displayed prior to printprocessing and an input setting screen is also displayed to be used forreceiving setting inputs from the operator, based on image data whichare read out or acquired by way of the network. Working efficiency andconvenience for the user can therefore be much improved, and reliabilityof the system increases in the image-forming system of the invention.

The following embodiments 12 through 17 primarily relate to the locationacquisition unit and the execution determination unit included in theimage-forming systems of the invention.

The location acquisition unit is configured to receive a touch input byan operator onto the display unit displaying the expected image finishinformation and acquire information on the location of the touch input.The execution determination unit is configured to determine whether aprocessing item set by the setting unit is executable, and alsodetermine the reason for being non-executable of the processing item.

Embodiment 12

FIG. 35 is a functional block diagram illustrating an image-formingsystem 8 according to a twelfth embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 35, the image-forming system 8 includes a scanner 11,an ADF 111, a scanner controller 112, an image storage section 12, animage processing section 113, a printer 14, a printer controller 142, afinish processing unit 141, an operation display section 15, anoperation display control section 151, a system control section 16, anda communication control section 17.

The image-forming system 8 is connected to a network 18 by way of thecommunication control section 17. And, the image-forming system 8 isconfigured to read an image on a document original 19, process data ofthe image thus read out, and reproduce an image on a sheet of paper soas to output the image in the form of a printed material 20 afterprinting and finish processing.

The scanner 11 is configured to convert the readout image of thedocument original 19 into digital image data.

In addition, the scanner 11 is provided with ADF 111 which is capableof, upon plural sheets of the document original 19 being loaded on adocument tray, feeding the sheets forward one by one to a predeterminedplaten location for reading, and performing repetitive reading stepsautomatically. The scanner is also capable of reading the document sheetprinted not only on single side of the document sheet but also on bothsides after reversing the sides thereof by an appropriate transportswitching means.

The scanner controller 112 assumes overall control of the scanner 11 inresponse to an instruction issued by the system control section 16.

The image storage section 12 is a buffer memory for temporarily storingdigital image data and other similar data which are read out by thescanner 11 or externally input.

The image-forming system of the present embodiment is configured toperform an image data processing and image formation of image data notonly readout by the scanner 11 but also externally input, as well.

Onto the multivalued data which are sent from the scanner andtemporarily stored in the image storage section 12, the image processingsection 113 is configured to perform gamma correction or MTF correction,gradation processing such as slicing or dither treatment, and thereafterbinarization (or multi-valued) processing.

The image processing section 113 also performs several image processingsteps to meet the conditions and priorities currently set by a user,such as image enlargement/reduction and density/color adjustment; andlayout improvement processing such as double/single-sided print,collective print, or margin adjustment.

The image processing section 113 includes a location informationacquisition unit 139, an image finish information generation unit 132, aprocessing item setting unit 133, and a setting item storage unit 135.

The location information acquisition unit 139 is configured to acquirecoordinate information on the image input stored in the setting itemstorage unit 135.

The image finish information generation unit 132 is configured togenerate expected image finish information from image data input, whichis used for forming an expected image finish according to the imageinput to be displayed on a display panel 15 b.

Since the image processing section 113 constitutes the portioncharacteristic to the present invention, further details thereof will begiven later on.

The printer 14 is configured to perform several steps utilizingelectrophotographic techniques, such as deflective scanning of a lightbeam, based on the image data suitably processed by the image processingsection 113; forming an electrostatic latent image on the surface of aphotosensitive drum; developing the electrostatic latent image withtoner to be visualized as a toner image; and transferring andsubsequently fixing the toner image onto a sheet.

The printer controller 142 conducts the control of the printer 14 inresponse to instructions from the system control section 16.

The printer 14 is provided with the finish processing unit 141. Thissection 141 is configured to perform various finish processing accordingto an automatic, or user setting, such as sorting out printed materialslike printed material 20 by a number of copy or pages, arranging andstapling the plural pages of the printed materials, and punching properpunch holes for use in filing in a binder or file.

Being provided with a touch panel 15 a and a display panel 15 b, theoperation display section 15 is configured to input setting contents byway of the touch panel 15 b and display menu items of contents on adisplay panel 15 c, which are used for setting an expected image finishand an image finish.

In addition, the display panel 15 c may alternatively be designed tomake voice outputs by speaker (not shown) in addition to visualdisplays.

The operation display section 15 is adapted to display the capabilitiespreferably be executed by the image-forming apparatus as menu items on asetting screen, and to receive a setting input by an operator selectedfrom the menu items.

The contents of the menu includes various conditions and priorities suchas, for example, for reading an image by the scanner 11 corresponding todocument conditions, processing the data of the image read out as aboveby image processing section 113, printing the processed image data bythe printer 14, and/or performing finish processing such as sorting,stapling, or punching printed materials following printing by the finishprocessing unit 141.

The display panel 15 b may be provided integrally with the touch panel15 b, or alternatively be provided separately as a display device forexclusive use.

The operation display control section 151 is configured to assumeinput/output controls of the operation display section 15 such as, forexample, an output control of image data, which are processed by theimage processing section 113, to the touch panel 15 b and the displaypanel 15 c. In addition, the operation display control section 151assumes input control from a touch panel 15 b.

Being connected to the sections, units, and devices in the image-formingsystem 8, the system control section 16 assumes overall control thereof.The system control section 16 includes several devices (not shown),including at least a CPU, ROM, and RAM, in which the CPU is configuredto perform various necessary processing using working areas of RAM basedon fundamental programs stored in ROM.

The communication control section 17 is connected to a network 18, suchas a LAN and the Internet, so as to exchange image data and control dataeach other with other apparatuses connected by way of the networkaccording to the communication protocol.

The image processing section 113 is further detailed as thecharacteristic portion in the present invention.

The image finish information generation unit 132 generates expectedimage finish information from image data input, which is used forforming an expected image finish according to the image input to bedisplayed on a display panel 15 c.

The operation display control section 151 instructs the display panel 15c to display an expected image finish according to the expected imagefinish information generated earlier.

Incidentally, it is noted that the image finish information generationunit 132 generates the information on (1) an expected image finish to beprinted, and (2) an input setting screen for receiving processing itemsrelated to the expected image finish, as will be described later on,which is herein referred to as “expected image finish information”.

While the display panel 15 c and touch panel 15 b are illustratedseparately in the drawing, they are formed herein below as an integraldevice.

When the display panel 15 c is touched by a finger or a stylus(hereinafter referred to as a pointer), the touch panel 15 b is adaptedto receive a contacting input, in which the location of the touching onthe panel 15 b can be detected electrically or magnetically.

FIG. 36 is a plan view diagrammatically illustrating an expected imagefinish generated from image data input in the image-forming systemaccording to the twelfth embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 36, the expected image finish is shown as a finishedimage 402 in the display region 401 in the touch panel 15 b. Thereassumed herein is that a user makes a contact onto the area portion 403of a touch panel 15 b using a pointer.

On making a contact by the user onto the touch panel 15 b with thepointer while viewing an expected image finish screen currentlydisplayed on the display panel 15 c, the touch panel 15 b is adapted toreceive an input of location information as that on spatial position ata finished state of printed material 20 on the expected image finishscreen currently displayed.

The location information acquisition unit 139 analyzes the locationinformation received by the touch panel 15 b, and acquires coordinateinformation on pointer's contact onto the image displayed.

The processing item setting unit 133 is configured to determine aprocessing item to be displayed on the operation display section 15 byaccessing the setting item storage unit 135 and correlating thecoordinate information acquired by the location information acquisitionunit 139 to an item for image, or finish processing (hereinafterreferred to as processing item).

FIG. 37A is a functional block diagram illustrating a setting itemstorage unit included in the image processing section 113. The settingitem storage unit 135 is provided with a coordinate-processing itemcorrespondence table (or, correspondence table) 135 a, which isconfigured to store the coordinate information and processing item as acorrespondence table.

The processing item setting unit 133 is adapted to select a processingitem by referring the coordinate of pointer's contact acquired by thelocation information acquisition unit 139 to the correspondence table135 a.

FIG. 37B includes a table illustrating the correspondence table 135 a,in which the correspondence is shown between the coordinate values inthe display image, which are acquired by the contact onto the touchpanel, and setting items.

As previously assumed, the area portion 403 of user's contact hascoordinate values ranging from 0 to 10% in the x- and y-axis directions.From the table 135 a, these coordinate values are found to correspond tothree items as the candidates, a stapling, punched hole, and stamp eachat the upper left, in the column of processing item (1).

In reference to the table of FIG. 37B, the processing item setting unit133 instructs the image finish information generation unit 132 togenerate image information, and the display panel 15 c to display ascreen image of the candidates for setting items.

FIG. 38 is a plan view illustrating a display image of the candidatesfor the processing items acquired by the contact onto the touch panel 15b.

Referring to FIG. 38, the display image is shown in a frame 502 as thedisplay region 501 on the display panel 15 c, indicating threeprocessing items, a stapling 503, punched hole 504, and stamp 505 eachat the upper left. When the operator intends to select the staple, theselection is achieved by, for example, contacting onto the portion,stapling at the upper left 503, with a pointer such as a finger.

The image finish information generation unit 132 is then instructed togenerate display image information indicative of the item, stapling atthe upper left 503, selected by the contact, to be displayed on thedisplay panel 15 c.

FIG. 39A is a plan view illustrating an expected image finish indicativea staple provided at the upper left of the printed material 20 (FIG.35). While viewing the image, if the operator decides to performprinting as of the image displayed, the print process is initiated bypressing a print button (not shown).

FIG. 39B is a plan view illustrating another expected image finishindicating an image of the state of a printed material 20 (FIG. 35)which is provided at the upper left with stapling. In addition to theexpected image finish 602 displayed in the display region 601 of thetouch panel 15 a, a synoptic table 603 of setting items is also shown inuse for altering the contents thereof.

There displayed in the synoptic table 603 are a marking “CORRECTION?”together with a punched hole 604 and stamp 605 each at the upper left.

If the operator intends to select the punch processing at the upper leftin place of the staple, the selection is achieved by contacting onto theportion 604 indicative of the punch at the upper left on the touch panel15 b with the pointer.

After the alteration input, the processing is set for performing not thestaple but a hole punch, which is subsequently displayed on the displaypanel 15 c (not shown).

FIG. 40 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow for forming an imageby the image-forming system according to the twelfth embodiment of theinvention.

Referring to FIG. 40, the process begins at storing image data input inthe image storage section 12 (step S1001). The image informationgeneration unit 132 generates expected image finish information to bedisplayed on the display panel 15 c (step S1002) and the panel 15 cdisplays an expected image finish based on expected image finishinformation (step S1003).

If the operator determines at this time to perform a print operation andinvokes a print command by pressing a print execution button (“YES” instep S1004), the copy operation is performed (step S1010).

By contrast, if the printer does not receive a print command (“NO” instep S1004), the operator makes a contact onto the touch panel 15 b soas to perform a contact input and the location information acquisitionunit 139 acquires coordinate information (“YES” in step S1005).

The processing item setting unit 133 is adapted to refer to thecorrespondence table included in the image storage section 12, extractsetting item information (step S1006), and instruct the display panel 15c to display the setting item (step S1007).

In the case when the operator has made setting item inputs while viewingthe expected image finish through the touch panel (“YES” in step S1008),the image information generation unit 132 generates expected imagefinish information reflecting the processing performed according toselected setting items (step S1002). The steps down to S108 are repeatedsubsequently.

In the case when the operator has made no further setting inputs (“NO”in step S1008), and if a print command is received by the printer (“YES”in step S1009), the printer 14 performs printing and the finishprocessing unit 141 provides finish processing (step S1010). If no printcommand is received (“NO” in step S1009), the process ends.

During the abovementioned steps the processing item setting unit 133 maygenerate processing item information based on selected processing itemsand instruct the display 15 to display the processing item information.Alternatively, the processing item setting unit 133 may send theprocessing item information to the image finish information generationunit 132 so as to be formed as image information and displayed on thedisplay panel 15 c.

As described herein above, the image-forming system according to thetwelfth embodiment of the invention is configured to display, based onthe image data which are obtained by reading a document or by way of anetwork, an expected image finish screen prior to print processing andan input setting screen to be used for receiving setting inputs.

Then, processing items can be selected through the pointer contact bythe operator, and another expected image finish screen and input settingscreen are displayed reflecting the selected processing items, tothereby be able improve print setting capabilities among others. As aresult, the image-forming system can be made to be highly convenient forthe operator and reliable as a system.

A Modification to Embodiment 12

According to a modification to the twelfth embodiment of the invention,the processing item setting unit 133 included in the image-formingsystem is configured, if the processing item setting unit 133 has set afirst processing item, to be provided with second processing item(s) ofa lower hierarchized level on the premise of the first processing item,and to instruct to display the second processing item(s) together withan expected image finish generated based on the first processing itemset as above.

By displaying the processing items in hierarchized fashion, it becomesfeasible to display an abbreviated list of processing items sequentiallyfollowed by further lists of proceeding items of the lower level. As aresult, ordered and detailed setting of processing items can be achievedby sequentially displaying the items in the hierarchized fashionnotwithstanding simple structure of the display screens.

FIG. 41 is a plan view illustrating a first expected image finishdisplayed by the image-forming system according to the modification tothe twelfth embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 41, the expected image finish 802 is shown in thedisplay region 801 on the display panel 15 c. On making contact onto theportion 803 by an operator, the processing item setting unit 133 isadapted to refer to the correspondence table and instruct to display onthe display screen the candidates of processing items to subsequently beset.

FIG. 42 is a plan view illustrating a display image of the candidatesfor processing items according to the modification to the twelfthembodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 42, the display image is shown in a frame 902 as thedisplay region 901 on the display panel 15 c, indicating the threeprocessing items, a stapling 903, punched hole 904, and left margin 905,as the candidates acquired from the coordinate information.

If the operator makes contact onto the portion indicative of punchedhole 904, the processing item setting unit 133 retrieves, from thecorresponding table (not shown), further two candidates, two and threeof the punched holes on the left, to be subsequently displayed on thedisplay panel 15 c.

FIG. 43 is a plan view illustrating a display image of the candidatesfor selecting a processing item related to the punched holes.

Referring to FIG. 43, a further display image is shown in the frame 1002for displaying processing items in the display region 1001 on thedisplay panel 15 c, indicating two processing items, two punched holeson the left 1003 and three punched holes on the left 1004, as theprocessing items of the lower hierarchical level.

In the case when the operator makes contact onto the portion indicativeof two punched holes on the left 1003, a further expected image finishis displayed, which is provided with two punched holes on the left.

FIG. 44 is a plan view illustrating another expected image finishdisplayed by the image-forming system, in which the image finish 1102 isshown in the display region 1101 in response to the aforementionedselection of two punched holes on the left 1003 (FIG. 43).

Another method of setting inputs should be mentioned herein, in that anoperator performs a contact operation in a manner such as, for example,first touching the center portion of the image of document original onthe display then moving over the display image so as to form an outwardlocus. This results an input for setting the enlargement and anenlargement rate of the document image (not shown).

Alternatively, an operator may perform a contact operation in a mannersuch as first touching the edge portion of the document image on thedisplay then moving over the display image toward the center so as toform an inward locus, to thereby result an input for setting thereduction and a reduction rate (not shown).

It may be added that the setting of enlargement/reduction processingexemplify the method of processing item setting using the aforementionedhierarchical construction of the item in the present invention.

FIG. 45 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow for forming an imageby the image-forming system according to the modification to the twelfthembodiment of the invention.

Since the steps up to S1007 and from S1009 on down are similar to thoseof the twelfth embodiment, the description thereon is herein abbreviatedand the steps unique to the present embodiment are primarily described.

Onto the expected image finish which is generated from the previousimage data input and currently displayed, the operator makes contactthrough the touch panel, the location information acquisition unit 139acquires coordinate information, and the processing item setting unit133 instructs the display panel 15 c to display processing items (stepS1007).

If a setting input is performed over the touch panel 15 b by theoperator through contacting to the processing item currently displayed,the touch panel 15 b receives the selected item (“YES” in step S1007),the processing item setting unit 133 is adapted to extract processingitem information which is one-level deeper than that on the selecteditem (step S1101).

The image finish information generation unit 132 generates anotherexpected image finish information based on the processing items,previously set and currently extracted, which are displayed on thedisplay panel 15 c (step S1102).

The touch panel 15 b is ready for detecting a contact operation by thepointer (step S1103). If the contact is detected, the processing item atthe deeper level is set (“YES” in step S1103), and process returns tostep S1101.

If no setting input is received through the touch panel 15 b (“NO” instep S1103), the process proceeds to print processing (step S1009).

By preparing and displaying the processing items in the hierarchicalstructure, thus reducing the number of items, which are displayed on thedisplay panel at one time, the image on the display panel can be madeeasier for the operator to watch.

In addition, by displaying relevant processing items sequentially at adeeper hierarchical level, more detailed setting of processing itemsbecomes feasible for the operator.

If multiple options result from the selection of one processing item, asexemplified above in the case of enlargement/reduction processing,therefore, complexity of processing item setting can be reduced, whileconvenience increases, by providing the processing items in thehierarchical structure.

Embodiment 13

FIG. 46 is a functional block diagram primarily illustrating an imageprocessing section 213 as a major portion of the image-forming systemaccording to a thirteenth embodiment of the invention.

The image processing section 213 of FIG. 46 has a similar configurationas the section 113 of FIG. 35, with the exception that an executiondetermination unit 234 is additionally included.

The execution determination unit 234 is configured to determine whethera processing item set by the processing item setting unit is executable,and to display the contents of the determination, if the processing itemis determined non-executable.

As described above, the execution determination unit 234 is configuredto determine whether a processing item set by the processing itemsetting unit 233 is executable in practice. If the processing item isdetermined non-executable, the execution determination unit 234instructs the information on this decision be stored in a correspondingcolumn in the corresponding table.

The processing item setting unit 233 reads out this information storedin the corresponding table, and instructs the display panel 15 c todisplay the content indicative of being non-executable.

While the following illustration is made on a staple processing as oneof processing items determined by the execution determination unit 234,this is not intended to be limiting.

The execution determination unit 234 is further provided with a staplesensor 234 a which is configured to determine whether a staple ischarged.

The staple sensor 234 a is adapted to determine whether a stapler ischarged, and output the information on the determination by the sensor234 a to the setting item storage unit 135 to be stored in thecorresponding table included therein.

If the stapler is found empty (i.e., not charged), the informationindicative of “NO STAPLE” is stored in the table. This “NO STAPLE”information may also be used where necessary for indicating the reasonfor being non-executable, as will be described later on.

FIG. 47 is a plan view illustrating a display image of processing itemsincluding a shaded portion indicative of the staple processing.

FIG. 48 is a plan view illustrating another display image showing thereason for the staple processing being non-executable.

FIG. 49 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow for forming an imageby the image-forming system according to the thirteenth embodiment ofthe invention.

Referring to FIG. 49, since the steps up to S1007 and from S1009 on downare similar to those of the twelfth embodiment, the description thereonis herein abbreviated and the steps unique to the present embodiment areprimarily described.

Onto the expected image finish which is generated from the previousimage data input and currently displayed, the operator makes contactthrough the touch panel, the location information acquisition unit 139acquires coordinate information, and the processing item setting unit233 instructs the display panel 15 c to display processing items (stepS1007).

If the touch panel 15 b receives a setting input for a selectedprocessing item (“YES” in step S1201), and the execution determinationunit 234 determines whether staple processing with respect to thecoordinate information currently acquired is executable (step S1202).

If the staple processing is determined executable (“YES” in step S1202),the process proceeds to print processing S1009. By contrast, if thestaple processing is determined non-executable (“NO” in step S1202), theexecution determination unit 234 instructs the information indicative ofbeing non-executable be stored in the corresponding table (step S1203).

The processing item setting unit 233 refers to the correspondence tableand reads out the information indicative of being non-executable relatedto the coordinate information currently acquired, and instructs thedisplay panel 15 c to display the information on being non-executable(step S1204). Thereafter, the process returns again to step S1201.

The image finish information generation unit 132 now generates (1) anexpected image finish, and (2) processing item screen informationincluding the shaded portion indicative of staple at the upper left 1403of FIG. 47, which is prepared to indicate that the staple processing isnon-executable. The unit 132 then instructs the display panel 15 c todisplay the processing item screen.

In the case when the reason for the staple processing beingnon-executable is further sought for, the operator makes contact ontothe above noted shaded portion of the processing item (indicative ofstaple at the upper left 1403 of FIG. 47).

The touch panel 15 b is ready for detecting the contact for inputtingprocessing items. On detecting the contact onto the panel 15 b, theprocessing item setting unit 233 reads out the information on the reasonfor being non-executable stored in the corresponding table and instructsthe display panel 15 c to display the information (not shown in the flowchart).

By determining whether the processing item currently set by theprocessing item setting unit is executable, and displaying the contentsof the determination as a shaded image portion on display panel if theprocessing item is determined non-executable, it becomes feasible forthe operator to more easily find the non-executable items and the reasontherefor, convenience is further improved while reducing complexity ofprocessing item setting in the image-forming system in the presentinvention.

A Modification to Embodiment 13

The performance by process steps according to a modification to thethirteenth embodiment is similar to the thirteenth embodiment, with theexception that the non-executable processing item(s) is not displayed onthe panel from the beginning in contrast to the shaded portion displayedin the thirteenth embodiment. Therefore, only executable processingitems are displayed for the operator in the present embodiment.

FIG. 50 is a plan view illustrating a display image of the candidatesfor processing items according to the modification to the thirteenthembodiment of the invention, in which only executable processing itemsare included in the display image, exclusive of non-executableprocessing item(s).

That is, the execution determination unit 234 determines there is nostaple charged, and write the information indicative of “NO STAPLE” intothe table.

The processing item setting unit 233 reads out the informationpreviously written, instructs the image finish information generationunit 132 to generate expected image finish information exclusive of thestaple processing item, and the display panel to show an expected imagefinish exclusive of the staple processing item.

Another modification to the thirteenth embodiment may be mentioned, inthat the execution determination unit 234 is further provided with asheet sensor (not shown) which is configured to determine whether papersheet(s) is charged.

In this case, the operator makes contact onto or near the center of thedisplay to invoke the enlargement/reduction menu, and the executiondetermination unit 234 determines whether paper sheet(s) is charged. Ifno sheet is detected necessary for performing the requiredenlargement/reduction processing, a screen image is shown displaying anenlargement/reduction processing corresponding to a sheet currentlyavailable.

When the operator makes further contact onto the display portion for thenon-executable item, a message can be displayed indicating the reasonfor being non-executable, in that no sheet of the required size for theprocessing is charged.

In addition, the items may alternatively be limited only to thoseincluding sheet size, excluding others not relating the sheet size.

Still in addition, another mode of display may be provided so that, ifblack-and-white copy processing is selected, no item related to colorcopy is displayed on the display panel.

Therefore, a display panel for processing items can be made easier forthe operator to watch, workability is improved during the steps forsetting the processing items.

Embodiment 14

FIG. 51 is a functional block diagram illustrating an image-formingsystem 9 according to a fourteenth embodiment the invention.

The block diagram of FIG. 51 has a similar configuration as that of FIG.35, with the exception that the image-forming system 9 further includesan image analysis section 81, a related function retrieval section 82,and a related function correspondence table 821, configured to extract adocument characteristic value from image data readout.

The image processing section 332 is adapted to generate expected imagefinish information utilizing the document characteristic value, andinstruct the display panel 15 c to display an expected image finishreflecting the document characteristic value and a screen displayingprocessing items selected based on the document characteristic value.

Specifically, an expected image finish and a display screen ofprocessing items can be displayed reflecting the document characteristicvalue in the present embodiment.

The image analysis section 81 is configured to analyze document imagedata stored in the image storage section 12 and extract the documentcharacteristic value indicative of document characteristics. The term“document characteristic value” corresponds to the size, orientation,and margin size of the document original 19, as examples.

On receiving a variety of information on the document characteristicvalue computed by the image analysis section 81, the related functionretrieval section 82 is configured to search several related functionsnecessary to be set for duplicating the document original 19.

The related function retrieval section 82 is provided with a relatedfunction correspondence table 821 as a file which contains a table ofvarious functions related to the document characteristic value.

The related function retrieval section 82 is configured to retrieve,from the related function correspondence table 821, several relatedfunctions corresponding to document characteristic value currentlyinput, and to send narrowed-down related function information to theimage processing section 333.

The related function information received by the processing item settingunit 333 is used for generating expected image finish information by theimage information generation unit 332.

In addition, the processing item setting unit 333 is adapted to narrowdown and select related processing items using the related functioninformation, and instruct the image finish information generation unit332 to generate processing item information displayed on the inputscreen.

Thus, the expected image finish and display screen of processing itemsare displayed reflecting the document characteristic value on thedisplay panel 15 c.

In addition, setting inputs may be received through an input screendisplayed on the display panel 15 c based on the input image informationin a similar manner to the twelfth embodiment.

The image analysis section 81, the related function retrieval section82, and related function correspondence table 821, therefore, constitutean image analyzing mechanism in the invention.

By way of example, if the image analysis section 82 analyzes a documentoriginal and find it to be double-sided, several options are displayedrelated to the direction of reading the document original 19. While thedocument original 19 is found to be single-sided, no display appears forthe reading direction.

FIG. 52 is a plan view illustrating an expected image finish displayedbased on the result obtained by the image analysis section 81, in whichthe document original 19 is found as printed in the collective manner.

When the operator makes contact onto the central portion 1903 of thedisplay image indicative of collective image 1902, corresponding useritems are displayed subsequently.

FIG. 53 is a plan view illustrating a display image of processing itemsfor the collective document in which two items are shown as the option,one “STAPLE SADDLE STITCH” 2003 and the other “PAPER FOLDING” 2004.

In the case when the operator has made selection by contacting to staplesaddle stitch 2003, an expected image finish is displayed, beingprovided with the saddle stitch processing, as illustrated in FIG. 54.

Thus, by selecting “STAPLE SADDLE STITCH” 2003 among the processingitems displayed in FIG. 53, the expected image finish is shown as theimage saddle-stitched with the staple, as shown in FIG. 54.

By means of the capability of the image analysis section 81, processingitems can be properly selected and displayed. As a result, simple andexact selections and displays become feasible regarding processing itemsto meet operator's needs with more ease.

FIG. 55 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow for forming an imageby the image-forming system according to the fourteenth embodiment ofthe invention.

Referring to FIG. 55, the image storage section 12 stores image datainput (step S1301), the image analysis section 81 extracts a documentcharacteristic value indicative of document characteristics (stepS1302), the image finish information generation unit 332 generatesprocessing item information based on the document characteristic valueextracted by the image analysis section 81 to be displayed on thedisplay panel 15 c (step S1303), and the display panel 15 c displays theexpected image finish formed according to the expected image finishinformation generated using the document characteristic value (stepS1304).

If the operator decides then to perform a print operation and invokes aprint command by pressing a print execution button (“YES” in stepS1305), the copy operation is performed (step S1311).

By contrast, if the printer does not receive a print command (“NO” instep S1305), the operator makes a contact onto the touch panel 15 b toperform a contact input of location information. The locationinformation acquisition unit 339 acquires coordinate information (“YES”in step S1306).

The processing item setting unit 333 is adapted to refer the documentcharacteristic value to the correspondence table based on the acquiredcoordinate information, extract setting item information based on thecoordinate information and document characteristic value (step S1307),and instruct the display panel 15 c to display the processing itemreflecting the document characteristic value (step S1308).

In the case when the operator has made selections and setting inputswhile viewing the expected image finish through the touch panel 15 b(“YES” in step S1309), the image information generation unit 332generates expected image finish information reflecting the processingperformed according to selected setting items (step S1303). The stepsdown to S1308 are subsequently repeated.

If the operator has made no alteration of the setting, no setting isreceived by the touch panel 15 b (“NO” in step S1309), and the printer14 is ready for receiving a print command (“NO” in step S1310). If aprint command is received by the printer (“YES” in step S1310), theprinter 14 performs a print operation and the finish processing unit 141provides finish processing (step S1311).

As described herein above, the expected image finish and the settingscreen in use for receiving additional user's setting are displayed,taking into account the document characteristic values analyzed by theimage analysis section 81, and the setting inputs can be received by wayof the setting screen on the display.

Therefore, the expected image finish and the processing itemsadditionally to be input can be narrowed-down precisely by way of thepresent setting screen, the processing items can be selected with highcertainty and precision, and item setting operation can be performedefficiently and reliably.

Embodiment 15

FIG. 56 is a functional block diagram illustrating an image-formingsystem according to a fifteenth embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 57 is a functional block diagram illustrating a setting itemstorage unit 435 in the image processing section 413 of theimage-forming system.

As described earlier, the setting item storage unit 435 in theimage-forming system 9 of the twelfth embodiment of the invention isconfigured to store the processing item referring to coordinateinformation as the correspondence table.

By contrast, the setting item storage unit 135 in the image processingsection 313 of the present embodiment further includes a display settingitem table (or, display table) 435 a.

The processing item setting unit 133 is now able to perform severaloperations such as canceling the item previously set, displaying relatedprocessing items such as further alterable processing items, andmanaging display contents.

These operations by the processing item setting unit 133 are performedby receiving a setting input onto the touch panel 15 b from theoperator, referring to the display table 435 a, retrieving informationon displayed setting items, and writing into or deleting a previouswriting.

For example, in the case when a user setting item is set, an expectedimage finish is displayed on the operation display section 15 in asimilar manner to the twelfth embodiment and the processing iteminformation set by the user is written into the display table 435 a. Forcanceling a setting item previously set by the user's operation, thisitem is deleted from the display table 435 a.

For altering a setting by contacting to an expected image finishdisplayed on the operation display section 15, the processing itemsetting unit 133 first refers to the display table 435 a and performs asearch to determine whether setting item information set by the user iswritten into the location of the contact.

In the case when any written item information is retrieved, thisprocessing item is displayed already. Related processing items are nowreferred to the display table 435 a based on the premise of theprocessing item set already, and thus retrieved related processing itemsare displayed subsequently.

Therefore, whether the setting item is set already by the user isdetermined by acquiring coordinate information by the locationinformation acquisition unit 131, retrieving the display table 435 a byprocessing item setting unit 133, and retrieving the item correspondingto the coordinate information. If any corresponding item is retrieved,the retrieved item is displayed and related items, which are stored inthe ordinary correspondence table 135 a, are also displayed.

If no item information on the processing item set previously isretrieved by the processing item setting unit 133 on referring to thedisplay table 435 a, it is determined that no processing item ispreviously set, and processing items are displayed from the items storedin the ordinary correspondence table 135 a.

Next, an operation process is illustrated by the image-forming systemaccording to the fifteenth embodiment of the invention. Here assumed isthat a setting item is already set so as to print two pages of documenton one single sheet, and a display image of the collective 2-in-1 isshown already. In addition, utilizing the display image, a stapleprocessing is added and then canceled.

These steps will be described herein below, for purposes of theillustration, to demonstrate the change in the expected image finish andin the display table.

FIG. 58 illustrates a statement in the display table indicating thecollective 2-in-1 setting already stored, and FIG. 59 is a plan viewillustrating an expected image finish displayed according to thestatement in the display table.

The information of the collective setting alone is stored in the displaytable, indicative of two pages of document on one single sheet, and theexpected image finish according to the statement is shown in FIG. 59, asthe collective 2-in-1 image.

A user setting is performed now by contacting to the portion 2504.

FIG. 60 is a plan view illustrating a display image of processing itemsrelated to the portion on the display contacted by the user.

Since no item information previously set is found in the display table435 a of FIG. 60 at the location contacted by the user, thecorrespondence table 135 a as the ordinary setting item table isreferred. As a result, there displayed are three items, staple 2604,punched hole 2605, and stamp 2606, each at the upper left.

FIG. 61 is a plan view illustrating an expected image finish which isdisplayed after the selection of staple processing is made among theprocessing items of FIG. 60, in which a staple sign is additionallydisplayed at the location of contact by the user.

FIG. 62 illustrates the statement written into the display table afterthe selection of staple processing is made in FIGS. 60 and 61, in whichthe information “STAPLE AT THE UPPER LEFT” is written as a processingitem at the location (5,5) in the (xy)-coordinate.

FIG. 63 is a plan view illustrating a menu screen which is displayedafter contacting the staple sign (upper left in FIG. 61) by the useragain, in which the staple processing is already set and relatedprocessing items are displayed based on the premise of the processingitem mentioned just above.

That is, in response to the previous staple setting, three settings areshown such as staple cancel 2904, staple alteration 2905, and punch2906. The user can therefore alter the staple setting, if necessary, byselecting and addressing a setting out of these displayed settings.

FIG. 64 is a plan view illustrating still another expected image finishwhich is displayed after canceling the staple processing, as describedabove.

FIG. 65 illustrates statements stored in the display table aftercanceling the staple processing in FIG. 63, in which setting informationrelated to the staple processing has been removed from the display table435 a and there remains only the information related to the initialcollective 2-in-1 setting.

If no further setting is input, a print operation is performed. Whilesimilar setting steps are repeated if a further setting is necessary.

FIG. 66 is a flowchart illustrating a process flow for forming an imageby the image-forming system according to the fifteenth embodiment of theinvention.

The steps up to S1007 of FIG. 66 are similar to those of the twelfthembodiment, where image data are first input, an expected image finishis displayed on the display panel, and setting items are displayed bycontact input from the user. Therefore, the description on these stepsis herein abbreviated and the steps unique to the present embodiment areprimarily described.

On receiving a setting input onto the touch panel 15 b from theoperator, the processing item setting unit 133 refers to the displaytable 435 a, and determines whether setting item information exists atthe location corresponding to the coordinate where the user made contact(step S1401).

If processing items corresponding to the coordinate are retrieved (“YES”in step S1401), the processing item setting unit 133 refers to thedisplay table 435 a, retrieves the items related to the processing itemsfound as above, and instructs to be displayed (step S1402).

For example, in the case when the staple processing is set through thedisplay table, punched hole processing is read out and then displayed asthe item related to the staple processing stored in the correspondencetable.

Further, it is determined whether the operator makes an alteration, thatis, whether the touch panel received any setting input of related item(step S1403). If a setting input of related item is received (“YES” instep S1403), the processing item setting unit 133 instructs to rewritethe display table (step S1404). Thereafter, the display panel is adaptedto update and display the expected image finish (step S505), and theprinter is ready for receiving a print command (step S1406).

In contrast, if no setting input of related item is received, as well,the printer is ready for receiving a print command (step S1406).

If it is determined that no processing item has been set previously(“NO” in step S1401), the processing item setting unit 133 refers to thecorrespondence table 135 a, and a selection menu is displayed consistingof processing items (step S1407).

The touch panel is ready for receiving a setting input out of theprocessing items mentioned just above (step S1408). If a setting inputis received (“YES” in step S1408), the processing item setting unitinstructs to update the values of processing item (step S1409), and thedisplay panel is adapted to update and display the expected image finishbased on the updated values of processing item (step S1405).

If no print command is received by the printer (“NO” in step S1406), theprocess returns again to step S1401 to repeats a similar routine asabove.

By contrast, if a print command is received, the printer 14 providesprint processing and the finish processing unit 141 provides finishprocessing (step S1410).

Therefore, by providing further the display table 435 a, and rewritingthe table and updating the display according to the alteration ofsetting items, it becomes feasible to display clearly not only theprocessing items already set but also those related to alteration andcancellation.

As a result, the operator can make selections of process cancellationand alteration with more ease with the image-forming system according tothe fifteenth embodiment of the invention.

Embodiment 16

An image processing apparatus according to a sixteenth embodiment of theinvention is provided as a subsystem for primarily performing imageprocessing, being incorporated into the image-forming system of thetwelfth embodiment.

FIG. 67 is a functional block diagram illustrating an image-formingsystem 10, incorporating the image processing apparatus 50. Since theimage processing apparatus 50 is configured to have the same imageprocessing capabilities as those of the image-forming system 10, thedescription on these capabilities is herein abbreviated.

In the image-forming system according to the sixteenth embodiment of theinvention, an expected image finish screen is displayed prior to printprocessing based on image data which are obtained by reading a documentor by way of a network.

In addition, an input setting screen is also displayed to be used forreceiving setting inputs from the operator while viewing the screen.Further, the expected image finish and input setting screen are updatedaccording to added or altered setting items.

As a result, working efficiency and convenience for the user cantherefore be much improved, and reliability of the system increases inthe image-forming system.

Embodiment 17

FIG. 68 is a functional block diagram illustrating an image-formingsystem according to the seventeenth embodiment of the invention.

The image-forming system includes a first image processing apparatus 73,a document reading section 71, a second image processing apparatus 74, afinish processing section 76 including a printer 714, which areinterconnected by way of a network 18.

In addition, the units included in the first image processing section 73may alternatively be formed separately, being interconnected by way ofthe network 18.

The capabilities of the apparatuses and sections in the image-formingsystem are similar to those of the image-forming system 8 of the twelfthembodiment, except the formers are realized by connecting to the network18.

Moreover, second image analysis apparatus 74 may further be included foranalyzing document characteristic values, as shown also in FIG. 68.

In the image-forming system according to the seventeenth embodiment ofthe invention, an expected image finish screen is displayed prior toprint processing and an input setting screen is also displayed to beused for receiving setting inputs from the operator, based on image datawhich are read out or acquired by way of the network 18.

Therefore, working efficiency and convenience for the user can be muchimproved, and reliability of the system connected to the network 18increases with the image-forming system of the invention, by displayingthe input setting screen to be used for receiving setting inputs fromthe operator while viewing the screen, updating the expected imagefinish and input setting screen according to added or altered settingitems.

(Hardware Configuration)

FIG. 69 is a block diagram diagrammatically illustrating a hardwareconfiguration of the image-forming system of the invention.

The image-forming system 9000 includes control units, such as CPU 9010and other similar devices; storage units, such as ROM 9020 and RAM 9030;external storage units, such as HDD 9040 and CD drive (not shown);display units, such as a display panel 9130; input/output units, such asa touch panel 9120, which may connected through an input/outputinterface 9060; reading units, such as a reading apparatus 9140, ascanner 11,711 and a scanner engine 9210; and mechanical units, such asa printer engine 9220 and a printing apparatus 9150, which are allconnected through a bus 9070 and altogether assume a conventionalconfiguration of a computer system.

Computer programs for forming images are stored in ROM 9020, which areconfigured to embody a variety of instructions executable by themachine.

The computer programs may also be provided with files in the formatinstallable or executable, which are stored in computer readable storagemedia, such as CD-ROM, flexible disc, CD-R, DVD other similar devices.

In such a case, by being retrieving from the ROM device and installed tothe main storage unit, the computer programs are enabled to generate thecapabilities of the abovementioned units and execute the computerprograms.

Alternatively, the programs may be provided by first being storing in,and then downloaded from a computer connected to a network, such as, forexample, the internet. In addition, the computer programs for formingimages executable in the image-forming system of the present inventionmay be transmitted or distributed by way of the network.

It is apparent from the above description including the examples, theimage-forming systems and the methods disclosed herein can offer severaladvantages over similar systems and methods previously known.

For example, the expected image finish information and the input settingscreen information are generated based on image data, and the expectedimage finish and the input setting screen capable of receiving settinginputs from the operator are displayed. Then, a simplified, intuitivelyunderstandable, and accurate input setting menu, which contains theitems narrowed-down from complex initial items to be used for inputtingdesirable items, can be displayed prior to various setting operations.

If some portions in the expected image finish screen are altered by alater user setting, the portions different from the initial expectedimage finish screen can be displayed with appropriate emphasis.

These portions can therefore be recognized visually by the operator withmore ease. As a result, document print processing can be carried out inline closer with the operator's settings.

In addition, if the setting screen is altered by user setting, the thusaltered setting screen is displayed to receive additional settinginputs. The operator can therefore carry out further input settings soas to bring the image finish asymptotically closer to a desired, idealimage.

It becomes feasible for the operator, therefore, to view the expectedimage finish and a setting screen containing proper setting items,working efficiency and convenience can therefore be much improved in theimage-forming operation.

In another aspect, the spatial item identification unit is adapted toacquire spatial information on the expected image finish by the contactof a contacting material to identify a spatial instruction item as aspatial setting, and the language item identification unit receivesvoice information to identify a language instruction item.

The spatial instruction item identification unit identifies spatialcertainty for the spatial instruction item, the language instructionitem identification unit identifies a language certainty for thelanguage instruction item, and the processing item setting unitdetermines item relevancy as information on relevancy of the spatialinstruction item and the language instruction item.

In addition, the processing item setting unit determines an itemrelevancy as information on the relevancy of the spatial instructionitem and the language instruction item. Processing item setting isperformed according to the result obtained from a weighted addition ofthe spatial instruction item, the language instruction item, and theitem relevancy, each appending weighting factors.

As a result, the processing items can be selected efficiently andreliably by selecting candidates out of spatial instruction, andlanguage instruction items in proper sequence, the processing items canbe selected with high certainty and relevancy, and item settingoperation can be performed efficiently and reliably.

In still another aspect, if a first processing item is set, theprocessing item setting unit system is configured to provide secondprocessing item(s) of a lower hierarchized level on the premise of thefirst processing item.

By preparing and displaying the processing items in the hierarchicalstructure, thus reducing the number of items, which are displayed on thedisplay panel at one time, the image on the display panel can be madeeasier for the operator to view.

In addition, by displaying relevant processing items sequentially at adeeper hierarchical level, more detailed setting of processing itemsbecomes feasible for the operator.

In the case when multiple options result from the selection of oneprocessing item, in particular, complexity of processing item settingcan be reduced, while convenience increases.

Obviously, additional modifications and variations of the presentinvention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is thereforeto be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, theinvention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically describedherein.

1. An image-forming system configured to perform at least a first operation to input image data, a second operation to process said image data and form a print finish, and a third operation to display an expected image finish as a result of said first and said second operations, comprising: a finish information generation unit configured to generate expected image finish information on completion of said first and said second operations; an input setting screen information generation unit configured to generate input setting screen information for receiving a setting input by an operator based on said expected image finish information generated by said finish information generation unit; a display unit configured to display on a display unit an expected image finish resulting from said expected image finish information and an input setting screen resulting from said input setting screen information generated by said input setting screen information generation unit; and a setting unit configured to receive a variety of setting inputs including said setting input by the operator by way of said input setting screen displayed on said display unit, wherein, on receiving said variety of setting inputs by said setting unit: said finish information generation unit generates said expected image finish information based on said variety of setting inputs currently received, said input setting screen information generation unit generates said input setting screen information based on said expected image finish information generated by said finish information generation unit, said display unit displays said expected image finish resulting from said expected image finish information and said input setting screen resulting from said input setting screen information generated by said input setting screen information generation unit, and said setting unit receives said variety of setting inputs including said setting input by the operator by way of said input setting screen displayed on said display unit.
 2. The image-forming system according to claim 1, further comprising: an image analysis unit configured to analyze said image data and extract a document characteristic value, wherein: said finish information generation unit generates said expected image finish information based on said document characteristic value extracted by said image analysis unit, and said input setting screen information generation unit generates said input setting screen information based on said document characteristic value extracted by said image analysis unit.
 3. The image-forming system according to claim 2, wherein, if a portion in said input setting screen, resulting from said input setting screen information generated by said input setting screen information generation unit, is different from that corresponding to said portion in an initial input setting screen, resulting from initial setting values, said display unit displays said portion with emphasis.
 4. The image-forming system according to claim 3, wherein, if said setting unit receives at least a setting item by the operator and if said display unit displays an updated input setting screen which is updated according to said setting item by the operator, said display unit displays a portion with emphasis, said portion in said updated input setting screen being different from a portion corresponding to said portion in an input setting screen prior to updating.
 5. The image-forming system according to claim 4, wherein: said finish information generation unit generates expected image finish information containing a pictorial image, and said display unit displays an expected image finish containing said pictorial image.
 6. The image-forming system according to claim 5, wherein: said pictorial image, which is contained in said expected image finish information generated by said finish information generation unit, includes at least one image selected from the group consisting of a plan image, a solid image, and an animated image; and said display unit displays said expected image finish containing said at least one image.
 7. The image-forming system according to claim 6, wherein: said finish information generation unit generates expected image finish information containing text information, said input setting screen information generation unit generates an input setting screen information containing said text information based on said expected image finish information containing said text information, said display unit displays said expected image finish containing said text information and said input setting screen containing said text information, and said setting unit receives a variety of setting inputs containing said text information.
 8. The image-forming system according to claim 1, wherein, if a portion in said input setting screen, resulting from said input setting screen information generated by said input setting screen information generation unit, is different from that corresponding to said portion in an initial input setting screen, resulting from initial setting values, said display unit displays said portion with emphasis.
 9. The image-forming system according to claim 1, wherein, if said setting unit receives at least a setting item by the operator and if said display unit displays an updated input setting screen which is updated according to said setting item by the operator, said display unit displays a portion with emphasis, said portion in said updated input setting screen being different from a portion corresponding to said portion in an input setting screen prior to updating.
 10. The image-forming system according to claim 1, wherein: said finish information generation unit generates expected image finish information containing a pictorial image, and said display unit displays an expected image finish containing said pictorial image.
 11. The image-forming system according to claim 1, wherein: said finish information generation unit generates expected image finish information containing text information, said input setting screen information generation unit generates an input setting screen information containing said text information based on said expected image finish information containing said text information, said display unit displays said expected image finish containing said text information and said input setting screen containing said text information, and said setting unit receives a variety of setting inputs containing said text information.
 12. The image-forming system according to claim 3, wherein: said finish information generation unit generates expected image finish information containing a pictorial image, and said display unit displays an expected image finish containing said pictorial image.
 13. The image-forming system according to claim 3, wherein: said finish information generation unit generates expected image finish information containing text information, said input setting screen information generation unit generates an input setting screen information containing said text information based on said expected image finish information containing said text information, said display unit displays said expected image finish containing said text information and said input setting screen containing said text information, and said setting unit receives a variety of setting inputs containing said text information.
 14. An image-forming system configured to perform at least a first operation to input image data, a second operation to process said image data and form a print finish, and a third operation to display an expected image finish as a result of said first and said second operations, comprising: a finish information generation unit configured to generate expected image finish information on completion of said first and said second operations; an input setting screen information generation unit configured to generate input setting screen information for receiving a setting input by an operator based on said expected image finish information generated by said finish information generation unit; a display unit configured to display on a display unit an expected image finish resulting from said expected image finish information and an input setting screen resulting from said input setting screen information generated by said input setting screen information generation unit; a setting unit configured to receive a variety of setting inputs including said setting input by the operator by way of said input setting screen displayed on said display unit; and an image analysis unit configured to analyze said image data and to extract a document characteristic value, wherein: said finish information generation unit generates said expected image finish information based on said document characteristic value extracted by said image analysis unit, and said input setting screen information generation unit generates said input setting screen information based on said document characteristic value extracted by said image analysis unit.
 15. An image-forming system configured to perform at least a first operation to input image data, a second operation to process said image data and form a print finish, and a third operation to display an expected image finish as a result of said first and said second operations, comprising: a finish information generation unit configured to generate expected image finish information on completion of said first and said second operations; an input setting screen information generation unit configured to generate input setting screen information for receiving a setting input by an operator based on said expected image finish information generated by said finish information generation unit; a display unit configured to display on a display unit an expected image finish resulting from said expected image finish information and an input setting screen resulting from said input setting screen information generated by said input setting screen information generation unit; and a setting unit configured to receive a variety of setting inputs including said setting input by the operator by way of said input setting screen displayed on said display unit, wherein, if a portion in said input setting screen, resulting from said input setting screen information generated by said input setting screen information generation unit, is different from that corresponding to said portion in an initial input setting screen, resulting from initial setting values, said display unit displays said portion with emphasis.
 16. An image-forming system configured to perform at least a first operation to input image data, a second operation to process said image data and form a print finish, and a third operation to display an expected image finish as a result of said first and said second operations, comprising: a finish information generation unit configured to generate expected image finish information on completion of said first and said second operations; an input setting screen information generation unit configured to generate input setting screen information for receiving a setting input by an operator based on said expected image finish information generated by said finish information generation unit; a display unit configured to display on a display unit an expected image finish resulting from said expected image finish information and an input setting screen resulting from said input setting screen information generated by said input setting screen information generation unit; and a setting unit configured to receive a variety of setting inputs including said setting input by the operator by way of said input setting screen displayed on said display unit, wherein: said finish information generation unit generates expected image finish information containing text information, said input setting screen information generation unit generates an input setting screen information containing said text information based on said expected image finish information containing said text information, said display unit displays said expected image finish containing said text information and said input setting screen containing said text information, and said setting unit receives a variety of setting inputs containing said text information.
 17. An image-forming system configured to perform at least a first operation to input image data, a second operation to process said image data and form a print finish, and a third operation to display an expected image finish as a result of said first and said second operations, comprising: first means for generating expected image finish information on completion of said first and said second operations; second means for generating input setting screen information for receiving a setting input by an operator based on said expected image finish information generated by said first means for generating; means for displaying on a display unit an expected image finish resulting from said expected image finish information and an input setting screen resulting from said input setting screen information generated by said second means for generating; and means for receiving a variety of setting inputs including said setting input by the operator by way of said input setting screen displayed on said means for displaying, wherein, on receiving said variety of setting inputs by said setting unit: said first means for generating generates said expected image finish information based on said variety of setting inputs currently received, said second means for generating generates said input setting screen information based on said expected image finish information generated by said first means for generating, said means for displaying displays said expected image finish resulting from said expected image finish information and said input setting screen resulting from said input setting screen information generated by said second means for generating, and said means for receiving receives said variety of setting inputs including said setting input by the operator by way of said input setting screen displayed on said means for displaying.
 18. The image-forming system according to claim 17, further comprising: means for analyzing said image data and to extract a document characteristic value, wherein: said first means for generating generates said expected image finish information based on said document characteristic value extracted by said means for analyzing, and said second means for generating generates said input setting screen information based on said document characteristic value extracted by said means for analyzing.
 19. The image-forming system according to claim 18, wherein, if a portion in said input setting screen, resulting from said input setting screen information generated by said second means for generating, is different from that corresponding to said portion in an initial input setting screen, resulting from initial setting values, said means for displaying displays said portion with emphasis.
 20. The image-forming system according to claim 19, wherein, if said means for receiving receives at least a setting item by the operator and if said means for displaying displays an updated input setting screen which is updated according to said setting item by the operator, said means for displaying displays a portion with emphasis, said portion in said updated input setting screen being different from a portion corresponding to said portion in an input setting screen prior to updating.
 21. The image-forming system according to claim 20, wherein: said first means for generating generates expected image finish information containing a pictorial image, and said means for displaying displays an expected image finish containing said pictorial image.
 22. The image-forming system according to claim 21, wherein: said pictorial image, which is contained in said expected image finish information generated by said first means for generating, includes at least one image selected from the group consisting of a plan image, a solid image, and an animated image; and said means for displaying displays said expected image finish containing said at least one image.
 23. The image-forming system according to claim 22, wherein: said first means for generating generates expected image finish information containing text information, said second means for generating generates an input setting screen information containing said text information based on said expected image finish information containing said text information, said means for displaying displays said expected image finish containing said text information and said input setting screen containing said text information, and said means for receiving receives a variety of setting inputs containing said text information.
 24. A method for storing and processing image data for an image-forming system configured to perform at least a first operation to input image data, a second operation to process said image data and form a print finish, and a third operation to display an expected image finish as a result of said first and said second operations, comprising the steps of: receiving at least one of an image data input command, a process command, and a print finish command; generating expected image finish information on completion of said first and said second operations; generating input setting screen information for receiving a setting input by an operator based on said expected image finish information; displaying on a display unit an expected image finish resulting from said expected image finish information and an input setting screen resulting from said input setting screen information; and receiving a variety of setting inputs including said setting input by the operator by way of said input setting screen, wherein, on receiving said variety of setting inputs: said step of generating expected image finish information generates said expected image finish information based on said variety of setting inputs currently received, said step of generating input setting screen information generates said input setting screen information based on said expected image finish information, said step of displaying an expected image finish displays said expected image finish resulting from said expected image finish information and said input setting screen resulting from said input setting screen information generated in said step of generating, and said step of receiving a variety of setting inputs receives said variety of setting inputs including said setting input by the operator by way of said input setting screen displayed in said step of displaying.
 25. The method according to claim 24, further comprising the step of: analyzing said image data and extracting a document characteristic value, wherein: said step of generating expected image finish information generates said expected image finish information based on said document characteristic value extracted in said step of analyzing, and said step of generating input setting screen information generates said input setting screen information based on said document characteristic value extracted in said step of analyzing.
 26. The method according to claim 25, wherein, if a portion in said input setting screen, resulting from said input setting screen information generated in said step of generating, is different from that corresponding to said portion in an initial input setting screen, resulting from initial setting values, said step of displaying an expected image finish displays said portion with emphasis.
 27. The method according to claim 26, wherein, if said step of receiving receives at least a setting item by the operator and if said step of displaying displays an updated input setting screen which is updated according to said setting item by the operator, said step of displaying an expected image finish displays said portion with emphasis, in which said portion in said updated input setting screen is different from a portion corresponding to said portion in an input setting screen prior to updating.
 28. The method according to claim 27, wherein; said step of generating expected image finish information generates expected image finish information containing a pictorial image, and said step of displaying an expected image finish displays an expected image finish containing said pictorial image.
 29. The method according to claim 28, wherein: said pictorial image, which is contained in said expected image finish information generated in said step of generating, includes at least one image selected from the group consisting of a plan image, a solid image, and an animated image; and said step of displaying an expected image finish displays said expected image finish containing said at least one image.
 30. The method according to claim 29, wherein: said step of generating expected image finish information generates expected image finish information containing text information, said step of generating input setting screen information generates an input setting screen information containing said text information based on said expected image finish information containing said text information, said step of displaying an expected image finish displays said expected image finish containing said text information and said input setting screen containing said text information, and said step of receiving a variety of setting inputs receives a variety of setting inputs containing said text information.
 31. A computer program product for use with an image-forming system configured to perform at least a first operation to input image data, a second operation to process said image data and form a print finish, and a third operation to display an expected finish as a result of said first and said second operations, said computer program product comprising: a computer readable medium for storing computer instructions for performing the steps recited in anyone of claims 24 through
 30. 32. An image processing system configured to perform at least a first operation to process image data input and form a print finish, and a second operation to display an expected image finish as a result of said first operation, said image processing system being interconnected by way of a network, comprising: a finish information generation unit configured to generate expected image finish information on completion of said first and said second operations; an input setting screen information generation unit configured to generate input setting screen information for receiving a setting input by an operator based on said expected image finish information generated by said finish information generation unit; a display unit configured to display on a display unit art expected image finish resulting from said expected image finish information and an input setting screen resulting from said input setting screen information generated by said input setting screen information generation unit; and a setting unit configured to receive a variety of setting inputs including said setting input by the operator by way of said input setting screen displayed on said display unit, respectively connected with one another by way of the network, wherein, on receiving said variety of setting inputs by said setting unit: said finish information generation unit generates said expected image finish information based on said variety of setting inputs currently received, said input setting screen information generation unit generates said input setting screen information based on said expected image finish information generated by said finish information generation unit, said display unit displays said expected image finish resulting from said expected image finish information and said input setting screen resulting from said input setting screen information generated by said input setting screen information generation unit, and said setting unit receives said variety of setting inputs including said setting input by the operator by way of said input setting screen displayed on said display unit.
 33. The image processing system according to claim 32, further comprising: an image analysis unit configured to analyze said image data and to extract a document characteristic value, wherein: said finish information generation unit generates said expected image finish information based on said document characteristic value extracted by said image analysis unit, and said input setting screen information generation unit generates said input setting screen information based on said document characteristic value extracted by said image analysis unit.
 34. The image processing system according to claim 33, wherein, if a portion in said input setting screen, resulting from said input setting screen information generated by said input setting screen information generation unit, is different from that corresponding to said portion in an initial input setting screen, resulting from initial setting values, said display unit displays said portion with emphasis.
 35. An image processing apparatus configured to perform at least a first operation to input image data, a second operation to process said image data and form a print finish, and a third operation to display an expected image finish as a result of said first and said second operations, said image processing system being incorporated into an image-forming system and being provided with a setting unit configured to receive a setting input regarding said print finish processing, comprising: a finish information generation unit configured to generate expected image finish information on completion of said first and said second operations; an input setting screen information generation unit configured to generate input setting screen information for receiving a setting input by an operator based on said expected image finish information generated by said finish information generation unit; and a setting unit configured to receive at least one of (1) a setting input by the operator by way of an input setting screen formed on said display unit based on said input setting screen information generated by said input setting screen information generation unit and (2) said setting input regarding said print finish processing, wherein, on receiving said at least one setting input: said finish information generation unit generates said expected image finish information based on said at least one setting input currently received, said input setting screen information generation unit generates said input setting screen information based on said expected image finish information generated by said finish information generation unit, and said setting unit receives said setting input by the operator by way of said input setting screen formed on said display unit based on said input setting screen information generated by said input setting screen information generation unit and said setting input regarding said print finish processing.
 36. The image processing apparatus according to claim 35, further comprising: an image analysis unit configured to analyze said image data and to extract a document characteristic value, wherein: said finish information generation unit generates said expected image finish information based on said document characteristic value extracted by said image analysis unit, and said input setting screen information generation unit generates said input setting screen information based on said document characteristic value extracted by said image analysis unit.
 37. An image-forming system configured to perform at least a first operation to input image data, a second operation to process said image data and form a print finish, and a third operation to display an expected image finish as a result of said first and said second operations, comprising: a finish information generation unit configured to generate expected image finish information on completion of said first and said second operations; an input setting screen information generation unit configured to generate input setting screen information for receiving a setting input based on said expected image finish information generated by said finish information generation unit; a display unit configured to display on a display unit an expected image finish resulting from said expected image finish information and an input setting screen resulting from said input setting screen information generated by said input setting screen information generation unit; and a setting unit configured to receive at least said setting input, wherein, on receiving at least said setting input by said setting unit: said finish information generation unit generates said expected image finish information based on at least said setting input, said input setting screen information generation unit generates said input setting screen information based on said expected image finish information generated by said finish information generation unit.
 38. An image-forming system configured to perform at least a first operation to input image data, a second operation to process said image data and form a print finish, and a third operation to display an expected image finish as a result of said first and said second operations, comprising: a finish information generation unit configured to generate expected image finish information on completion of said first and said second operations; an input setting screen information generation unit configured to generate input setting screen information for receiving a setting input based on said expected image finish information generated by said finish information generation unit; a display unit configured to display on a display unit an expected image finish resulting from said expected image finish information and an input setting screen resulting from said input setting screen information generated by said input setting screen information generation unit; a setting unit configured to receive at least said setting input; and an image analysis unit configured to analyze said image data and to extract a document characteristic value, wherein: said finish information generation unit generates said expected image finish information based on said document characteristic value extracted by said image analysis unit, and said input setting screen information generation unit generates said input setting screen information based on said document characteristic value extracted by said image analysis unit.
 39. An image-forming system configured to perform at least a first operation to input image data, a second operation to process said image data and form a print finish, and a third operation to display an expected image finish as a result of said first and said second operations, comprising: a finish information generation unit configured to generate expected image finish information on completion of said first and said second operations; an input setting screen information generation unit configured to generate input setting screen information for receiving a setting input based on said expected image finish information generated by said finish information generation unit; a display unit configured to display on a display unit an expected image finish resulting from said expected image finish information and an input setting screen resulting from said input setting screen information generated by said input setting screen information generation unit; and a setting unit configured to receive at least said setting input, and wherein, if a portion in said input setting screen, resulting from said input setting screen information generated by said input setting screen information generation unit, is different from that corresponding to said portion in an initial input setting screen, resulting from initial setting values, said display unit displays said portion with emphasis.
 40. An image-forming system configured to perform at least a first operation to input image data, a second operation to process said image data and form a print finish, and a third operation to display an expected image finish as a result of said first and said second operations, comprising: a finish information generation unit configured to generate expected image finish information on completion of said first and said second operations; an input setting screen information generation unit configured to generate input setting screen information for receiving a setting input based on said expected image finish information generated by said finish information generation unit; a display unit configured to display on a display unit an expected image finish resulting from said expected image finish information and an input setting screen resulting from said input setting screen information generated by said input setting screen information generation unit; and a setting unit configured to receive at least said setting input, wherein: said finish information generation unit generates expected image finish information containing text information, and said input setting screen information generation unit generates an input setting screen information containing said text information based on said expected image finish information containing said text information.
 41. An image-forming system configured to perform at least a first operation to input image data, a second operation to process said image data and form a print finish, and a third operation to display an expected image finish as a result of said first and said second operations, comprising: first means for generating expected image finish information on completion of said first and said second operations; second means for generating input setting screen information for receiving a setting input based on said expected image finish information generated by said first means for generating; means for displaying on a display unit an expected image finish resulting from said expected image finish information and an input setting screen resulting from said input setting screen information generated by said second means for generating; and means for receiving at least said setting input, wherein, on receiving at least said setting input by said setting unit: said first means for generating generates said expected image finish information based on at least said setting input, and said second means for generating generates said input setting screen information based on said expected image finish information generated by said first means for generating.
 42. A method for storing and processing image data for an image-forming system configured to perform at least a first operation to input image data, a second operation to process said image data and form a print finish, and a third operation to display an expected image finish as a result of said first and said second operations, comprising the steps of: receiving at least one of an image data input command, a process command, and a print finish command; generating expected image finish information on completion of said first and said second operations; generating input setting screen information for receiving a setting input based on said expected image finish information; displaying on a display unit an expected image finish resulting from said expected image finish information and an input setting screen resulting from said input setting screen information; and receiving at least said setting input, wherein, on receiving at least said setting input: said step of generating expected image finish information generates said expected image finish information based on said variety of setting inputs currently received, and said step of generating input setting screen information generates said input setting screen information based on said expected image finish information.
 43. An image processing system configured to perform at least a first operation to process image data input and form a print finish, and a second operation to display an expected image finish as a result of said first operation, said image processing system being interconnected by way of a network, comprising: a finish information generation unit configured to generate expected image finish information on completion of said first and said second operations; an input setting screen information generation unit configured to generate input setting screen information for receiving a setting input based on said expected image finish information generated by said finish information generation unit; a display unit configured to display on a display unit an expected image finish resulting from said expected image finish information and an input setting screen resulting from said input setting screen information generated by said input setting screen information generation unit; and a setting unit configured to receive at least said setting input by way of said input setting screen displayed on said display unit, respectively connected with one another by way of the network, wherein, on receiving at least said setting input by said setting unit: said finish information generation unit generates said expected image finish information based on at least said setting input, and said input setting screen information generation unit generates said input setting screen information based on said expected image finish information generated by said finish information generation unit.
 44. An image processing apparatus configured to perform at least a first operation to input image data, a second operation to process said image data and form a print finish, and a third operation to display an expected image finish as a result of said first and said second operations, said image processing system being incorporated into an image-forming system and being provided with a setting unit configured to receive a setting input regarding said print finish processing, comprising: a finish information generation unit configured to generate expected image finish information on completion of said first and said second operations; an input setting screen information generation unit configured to generate input setting screen information for receiving a setting input based on said expected image finish information generated by said finish information generation unit; and a setting unit configured to receive at least one of (1) a setting input based on said input setting screen information generated by said input setting screen information generation unit and (2) said setting input regarding said print finish processing, wherein, on receiving said at least one setting input: said finish information generation unit generates said expected image finish information based on said at least one setting input, said input setting screen information generation unit generates said input setting screen information based on said expected image finish information generated by said finish information generation unit. 